Aoba Arigata Hanekakushi - Aoba Arigata Hanekakushi

An insect belonging to the family Staphylinidae in the order Coleoptera of the class Insecta. It is found all over the world except North and South America, but is more common in warm regions. Its body length is about 7 mm. Its long, slender body is reddish yellow, its upper wings are short and shiny blue-green, and its head, underside of the thorax, and abdominal tip are black. Adults are found all year round, but are mainly found in wet grasslands on flat land, where they are active and omnivorous, but often prey on small insects. They often fly to lights at night, and when they land on the human body and are rubbed, their body fluids containing pederin come into contact with the skin and cause linear dermatitis (worm blisters), so they are also known as burn bugs. They go through two to three generations per year, and the larvae live in cracks in the ground and pupate underground. There are similar species such as the Siberian hawk beetle, but they are found mainly in mountainous areas, are slightly larger than the previous species, have short hind wings, and cannot fly.

[Takehiko Nakane]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱甲虫目ハネカクシ科に属する昆虫。南北アメリカを除く世界各地に分布するが、暖地に多い。体長約7ミリメートル。細長い体は赤黄色で、上ばねは短くて青緑色に光り、頭、胸下面、腹端は黒い。成虫は年中いるが、主として平地の湿った草地に多く、活発に行動し、雑食だが小虫をよく捕食する。夜間、灯火によく飛来し、人体に留まったときこすったりすると、ペデリンを含む体液が皮膚について線状皮膚炎（みみずばれ）をおこすので有名であり、やけど虫ともよばれる。年2～3世代を繰り返し、幼虫は地面の割れ目などにすみ、土中で蛹(さなぎ)になる。エゾアリガタハネカクシなど近似種があるが、おもに山地などに分布し、前種よりやや大きく、後ろばねが短小で飛べない。

［中根猛彦］

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