Spanish fly

n.1. A brilliant green blister beetle (Lytta vesicatoria) of central and southern Europe.2. A toxic preparation of the crushed, dried bodies of this beetle, formerly used as a counter-irritant for skin blisters and as an aphrodisiac. Also called cantharides.

Spanish fly

n 1. (Animals) a European blister beetle, Lytta vesicatoria (family Meloidae), the dried bodies of which yield the pharmaceutical product cantharides 2. (Pharmacology) another name for cantharides

Span′ish fly′

n. 1. Also called cantharides. a preparation of powdered blister beetles used chiefly for its supposed potency as an aphrodisiac. 2. Also, Span′ish•fly`. Also called cantharis. a common European blister beetle, Lytta vesicatoria. [1625–35]

Thesaurus

Noun

Spanish fly - green beetle of southern Europe blister beetle, meloid - beetle that produces a secretion that blisters the skin

Spanish fly

Spanish fly:

see blister beetleblister beetle,
common name for certain soft-bodied, usually black or brown, mostly elongate and cylindrical beetles belonging to the family Meloidae. Blister beetles are common insects found feeding on the flowers and foliage of various plants. Occasionally some, e.g.
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Spanish Fly

(Lytta vesicatoria), a beetle of the family Meloidae (seeMELOIDAE). The body length is 12–20 mm. The coloration is golden green. The Spanish fly is distributed in Europe and Asia. It flies on hot days in May through July; it emits a sharp, unpleasant odor. It eats the leaves of trees and shrubs, and in large numbers causes considerable damage. It deposits its eggs in the ground; the hatched larvae crawl onto flowers, from where wild bees transport them on their bodies to their own nests. The larvae eat the bees’ eggs and the honey in the honeycomb cells, then leave the nests and metamorphose into pseudopupae, which winter in the ground.

The hemolymph and sexual organs of Spanish flies contain a toxic substance called cantharidin. Dried Spanish flies were used to prepare vesicatory plasters.

Spanish fly

preparation made of green blister beetles and used to incite cattle to mate. [Insect Symbolism: EB, IX: 399]See: Aphrodisiacs

Spanish fly

1. a European blister beetle, Lytta vesicatoria (family Meloidae), the dried bodies of which yield the pharmaceutical product cantharides 2. another name for cantharides

Spanish fly

can·tha·ris

, gen.

can·thar·i·dis

, pl.

can·thar·i·des

(kan'thar-is, kan-thar'i-dis, -dēz), A dried beetle, Lytta (Cantharis) vesicatoria, used as a counterirritant and vesicant. Synonym(s): Russian fly, Spanish fly [L., fr. G. kantharis, a beetle]

Spanish fly

Alternative medicine
(1) Blister beetle.
(2) Cantharis, see there.

Spanish fly

Dried extract of the blister beetle, Lytta vesicatoria . Cantharides. This is a highly irritant and poisonous substance with an unjustified reputation as an APHRODISIAC.

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

Span′ish fly′

Spanish fly

Spanish fly:

Spanish Fly

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

can·tha·ris

can·thar·i·dis

can·thar·i·des

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

Spanish fly

Words related to Spanish fly

noun green beetle of southern Europe

Related Words