They are already in Polish forests.  They look like beetles, but they are very dangerous.  Their poison can kill

They are already in Polish forests. They look like beetles, but they are very dangerous. Their poison can kill

It looks like a beetle, but it’s not one at all. When taking a walk in the forest, it is better to be careful and not approach it, because this insect is extremely dangerous. How to recognize it?

Oleica cowberry is a species of beetle from the oleicaceae family. It reaches a length of up to 35 mm and is black, blue-black or purple-black in color, so it is easy to confuse it with a beetle. However, it is worth being careful with it, because it emits a toxic substance that is dangerous to humans.

What does the oleica fudge insect look like? It looks like a beetle, but is much more harmful

Oleica appears around April. It can most often be found in dry and warm areas, such as meadows, fallow fields, or grassy slopes, but it sometimes also appears on roadsides. Adults feed on . Females can lay up to 30,000 eggs, which hatch into larvae. They are very voracious and are considered parasites. They feed on pollen and nectar that bees collect in their nests.

Oleica fudge, illustration photo iStock/LoPeix

The name of this insect is closely related to the way it defends itself. When the oleica is frightened, it tries to defend itself and secretes a yellow oily liquid that contains the poisonous cantharidin. It is one of the most toxic substances found in nature.

Is oleica fudge dangerous? You better not approach her. Out of fear it produces poison

In the past, cantharidin was used in medicine because it stimulates the nerve endings and mucous membranes of the urogenital system, but in larger doses it can be fatal. The website states that a single insect cannot kill a person, but it can cause other problems.

The lethal dose for humans is approximately 0.03 g of this substance. Although a single insect cannot produce such an amount of cantharidin, its “portion” can strongly irritate human skin, especially when the substance gets into the nose and eyes.

Source: Gazeta

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