Beetleskin (Cantharis): Metallic Lycidae Beetles with Leathery Appearance

Beetleskin (or cantharis) refers to beetles of the family Lycidae (net-winged beetles). They are elongate, soft-bodied, with a leathery texture and striking metallic coloration—typically green, blue, or bronze.

Historically, dried Lytta vesicatoria (Spanish fly, a Meloidae, not Lycidae) was called "cantharis" and used as a vesicant/aphrodisiac. The term "beetleskin" is archaic and rarely used in modern entomology.