Plural of cantharis; blister beetles used historically in traditional medicine and as sources of the chemical compound cantharidin.
From Latin 'cantharis,' derived from Greek 'kantharos' meaning 'beetle.' The term refers specifically to the Meloidae family of beetles that produce blister-forming secretions.
Spanish Fly—the infamous aphrodisiac used in legend—is actually crushed canthari beetles, and while people thought it worked as a love potion, it really just caused serious internal burns and was extremely dangerous!
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