#hycleus

[oxalisirene]

Of the Beetle in Nature and Culture.

Finding creative inspiration in connections between the Arts and Science through the concept of symmetry Pt2.

The BEETLE (or COLEOPTERA) is an order of holometabola (or endopterygota), which means they undergo a complete metamorphosis between larval, pupal and adult stages. The beetle ia a bilateral animals are more or less symmetric with respect to the sagittal plane, while plants and sessile animals have radial or rotational symmetry (e.g. echinoderms have five fold rotational symmetry). Its order is a fascinating one, sporting somber and flamboyant pigmentation, and seemingly infinite aesthetic variations.

"Pigmentation in beetles comes either from pigmentation or optical interference or both factors in combination. […] Optical interference colours result when light reflecting and refracting through the micro-thin transparent outer layer of the cuticle interacts visually with the pigmented layer beneath." (Living Jewels, Poul Beckmann, Prestel-Verlag, 2004).

Some are aposematic (or at least batesian mimics): advertising by an animal through bright colours and patterns of its toxicity to predators, signalling it is not worth attacking or eating (e.g. hycleus lugens, coccinellidae, etc.). Others have effective camouflage.

Some beetles’ bright colours are ordinarily hidden by somber elytra, in order to stun the predators with their sudden appearance at take off.

Some are bioluminescent in order to attract attention and signal a potential mate, such as the lampyridae (commonly, fireflies), phengodidae and elateridae. These are delicately built and soft bodied, and their light varies in pattern and in colour (from light green to orange).

Historically, beetles have been mystified creatures, often associated with the creation of the universe (e.g. in ancient Egypt) or with sin (e.g. in christianity).

The scarabeus sacer (sacred scarab, dung beetle or kheper in ancient Egyptian) was linked with Khepri, god of creation and the rising sun, via imagery (the rolling of dung into a ball by the beetle resembled the rolling of the sun by the god) and etymology (kheper and Khepri both derive from the same root meaning ‘coming into being’ or ‘to transform’). The kheper also held funerary significance, as in the case of heart scarabs and of similitude between the pupa and the mummy.

Ritual objects and jewellery are often crafted from the elytra (the hard forewings, not actually usable for flying), or shapes of beetles made out of bone, ivory, stone, and tjehenet (a kind of faience, self-glazing clay).

(Images from An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles, A.V. Evans, C.L. Bellamy, photography by L.C. Watson and G. Poinar, University of California Press, 1996.)

[pratheepvijay3097]

Make headway ! 🦾 ( Blister beetle ) 🐞 • Hycleus is a genus of blister beetle belonging to the Meloidae family found in Africa and Asia. The genus contains over 400 species, which historically have been confused with the genus Mylabris. #pratheepvijay #pratheepvijayphotography #hycleus #blisterbeetle #beetle #meloidae #mylabris #insect #animalia #arthropoda #insecta #coleoptera #latreille #shotoniphone #shotonrealme #realme8pro #mobilephotography #macro #macrophotography #photography #picoftheday #photooftheday #animalplanet #discovery #natgeo #nature #wild #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer @natgeo @natgeoindia @natgeowild @natgeotravel @natgeoyourshot @natgeotravellerindia @natgeoadventure @natgeointhefield @natgeofineart @natgeoasia @natgeochannel @natgeoexpeditions @natgeo.la @natgeonl @natgeolatam @natgeoencounter @natgeodocs @animalsdoingthings @animalplanet @animalplanetindia @animalaid_india @animalhopeandwellness @discovery @discoverychannelin @discoveryplusindia @discover @discoveryla @grikart_macro @macro_delight @apple @instagram @wholelottabugs @insectguru @naturein_focus @nature_org @wildkarnataka @wildtakes @wildlifeplanet @world_wildlife @incredibleindia @bbcearth @earth @sonybbcearth @natural_history_museum @earthalliance @earthroamer @incredibleindia @macro_brilliance @nature @nature_brilliance @lonelyplanet @ourplanet @lightroom @kumudamonline @bbcwildlifemagazine @asiangeographic @naturesbestphotomagazine @discoverindia.magazine @wildlifeindia @zealwildlifecentral @fwdlife_magazine @climbingmagazine @lonelyplanetmagazineindia @thecaravanmagazine @wildlifesos @realmeindia @realmecreatorshub @realmeglobal @realmeindonesia @realmetechlife @realmepakistanofficial @realmebangladeshofficial @realmebr.official @realmecolombia @realme.taiwan @realmeiraq @realmeegypt @realmemx @realmearabia @realmemalaysia @realme.nepal @realme.it @realmeuk @realmephilippines @realmesaudi @realme.polska @realmekenya (at Pudukkottai/tamilnadu) https://www.instagram.com/p/Celw2aUBeKm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kunalshethia]

... #Hycleus #BlisterBeetle #Meloidae #Tenebrionoidea #Malvaceae #Hibiscus #InsectsOfInstagram #BeetlesOfInstagram #InvertebratesOfInstagram #Invertebrate #Bugsofinstagram #Macro #naturephotography #insects #naturelovers #macrophotography #macroworld #macromood #indiaclicks #yourshotphotographer #earthcapture #motorola #wholelottabugs https://www.instagram.com/p/CbTyxJQqR47/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hymnofhues]

season of love, for Blister Beetles!🤩 #hycleus #blisterbeetle . #shotonpocof1 and a prosumer 49mm-macrolens from #apexelindia #hymnofhues #natureinfocus . #bugsofinstagram #beetlesofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #insectphotography #insectsoftheworld #insectlovers #insects_macro . #macro_brilliance #macro_perfection #gf_macro #macrogrammers #macrophotography #apexel . #snapseedindia #natgeoindia #natgeoyourshot #bbcearth #natgeo #bbcwildlife #natgeoindia #lightroom #animalplanetindia #sonybbcearth . #photographers_of_india #_soi https://www.instagram.com/p/CUaA-kpJABk/?utm_medium=tumblr

[buyela-e-africa]

Blister beetle (Hycleus lugens).

Known as blister beetles as a crushed beetle will leave nasty blisters on the skin, in Afrikaans these beetles are called "blaartrekkewers".

They are medium to fairly large in size - many with aposematic coloration (warning colours), these beetles are sometimes used as an aphrodisiac by the indigenous people of Southern Africa.

The active "aphrodisiac" ingredient is Cantharidin - which is highly toxic to vertebrates.

[fullmoonfireball]

here’re the stream doodles!

Dark Star requested by @darkstarcore (who couldn’t attend and sent in the request pre-stream)

Kirby requested by @amzinoji

Beanser w/ Dark Peasley on her shoulder requested by @queenofglitch 

and finally, both Fawful and a poorly-referenced beetle (intended to be a Hycleus, but...) were requested mdjdndn, whoever you were......

I’m gonna try to upload the archive on YouTube tomorrow (i’m not gonna bother tonight, I have to go to bed soon), but I don’t know if it’ll stay up considering the bgm

[rajkumarla]

Orange Blister beetle (Mylabris pustulata) #beetle #blisterbeetle #nature #photography #insects #meloidae #frommywindow #backyard #hycleus #life #tiny #beautiful #colorfull #natureclick #mylabrispustulata #micro #bugs #animals #wildlife #naturlovers (at Mettuppalaiyam)

[pesonaserangga]

Hycleus polymorphus adalah nama ilmiah dari kumbang ini. Ada puluhan jenis, dan sudah cukup beruntung saya menemukan salah satunya.

#hycleuspolymorphus #insect #insectphotography #insects #insect_macro #macrophotography #macrophoto #macroshot #insectgram

[im-delowar]

"Hycleus" is a genus of blister beetle belonging to the Meloidae family found in Africa and Asia. The genus contains over 400 species, which historically have been confused with the genus Mylabris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . #bangladesh #dhaka #photography #love #instagood #photooftheday #nature #travel #beautiful #instagram #dhakagram #follow #fashion #chittagong #instadaily #sky #like4like #picoftheday #beautifulbangladesh #travelphotography #naturephotography #cute #bangladeshi #streetphotography #followme #mobilephotography #insta #beauty #life #hycleus (at Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRDKie4lHl_/?utm_medium=tumblr

[pratheepvijay3097]

தனிமையில் தனியாக தெரியும் ஒருவன் ! ( Hycleus ) 🐞 • Hycleus is a genus of blister beetle belonging to the Meloidae family found in Africa and Asia. The genus contains over 400 species, which historically have been confused with the genus Mylabris. #🐞 #pratheepvijay #pratheepvijayphotography #hycleus #blisterbeetle #beetle #nature #insect #macro #alone #meloidae #mylabris #wild #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer #realme8pro #shotonrealme #shotonrealme8pro #bbcearth #natgeo #travel #pudukkottai #genus #instagood #naturephotography #instagram #mobilephotography #picoftheday #photooftheday (at Pudukkottai/tamilnadu) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb0NnpnB5PG/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hymnofhues]

romance or turf war? 😂 ~A.J. . #hycleus #blisterbeetle . #shotonpocof1 and a prosumer 49mm-macrolens from #apexelindia #hymnofhues #natureinfocus . #bugsofinstagram #beetlesofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #insectphotography #insectsoftheworld #insectlovers #insects_macro . #macro_brilliance #macro_perfection #gf_macro #macrogrammers #macrophotography #apexel . #snapseedindia #natgeoindia #natgeoyourshot #bbcearth #natgeo #bbcwildlife #natgeoindia #lightroom #animalplanetindia #sonybbcearth . #photographers_of_india #_soi (at Cheeryal) https://www.instagram.com/p/CR1O2isJFVt/?utm_medium=tumblr