Beetle, Giant Blister

A large beetle with a slick, dark green carapace approaches. The creature snaps its large serrated mandibles, black in color, together as it moves toward you.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, cluster (2–5), or click (4–9)
Treasure none

Blister beetles are nocturnal scavengers found in forests or underground. They are non-aggressive creatures, but have voracious appetites and will, if food is scarce, attack just about anything that comes close to them. Their favored meal, however, is bees; both giant and normal. Their immunity to poison aids grants them protection from the deadly sting of giant bees (normal bees cannot penetrate their carapace). A cluster of beetles waits near an area frequented by bees and then spring to attack when a bee lands on a flower or plant. Another favored meal is grasshoppers. Blister beetles ambush these large insects and drag the prey back to their lair.

Blister beetles reproduce and mature rapidly. The female deposits a group of 2d4 eggs in a hole in the nest. The male then sprays the eggs with its blister spray. Within three days the eggs burst open with an audible pop and out swarm the young blister beetles. Young reach maturity in about three weeks.

When attacked, a blister beetle releases a foul stream of black oily liquid that irritates the skin of any living creature it hits. Afterwards, it moves to combat and strikes with its mandibles.