The black sexton beetle is a burying beetle first described by German botanist Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch in 1767 as Silpha humator. It is known for its tendency to bury its food, mostly decayed meat of small dead animals.
These beetles are nocturnal and attracted to light, so sometimes they end up in moth traps.
Size: 20- 30 mm (0.78 – 1.2 in)
Color: Their bodies are entirely black, with only the tips of their antennae being orange.
Other characteristic features: They have an eleven-segmented antenna, long and curved. Their elytra are broadened towards the top, while the legs appear long, and robust.
The larva hatch very quickly, within 12-48 hours. The parents take the responsibility of feeding their young for the first instar. In contrast, from the second instar onwards, they feed independently.
From the third instar, the larva begins to pupate by going into the soil.
The female lays eggs in an excavated part of the food source, regulating the number of eggs depending on the available food.
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Distribution | Mostly in Britain; it has also been seen in North Africa |
| Habitat | Woodlands |
| Seasons active | March to October |
| Diet of adults and larvae | Carrion of small creatures like birds, rodents, and frogs |
Like other burying beetles, the black sexton beetle will bury the carcass of its food source by removing the soil from underneath it. They will then remove the skin and fur from it, even amputating limbs to make it easier for them to devour.
Image Source: warehouse1.indicia.org.uk, biopix.com, ephotozine.com
The black sexton beetle is a burying beetle first described by German botanist Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch in 1767 as Silpha humator. It is known for its tendency to bury its food, mostly decayed meat of small dead animals.
These beetles are nocturnal and attracted to light, so sometimes they end up in moth traps.
Size: 20- 30 mm (0.78 – 1.2 in)
Color: Their bodies are entirely black, with only the tips of their antennae being orange.
Other characteristic features: They have an eleven-segmented antenna, long and curved. Their elytra are broadened towards the top, while the legs appear long, and robust.
The larva hatch very quickly, within 12-48 hours. The parents take the responsibility of feeding their young for the first instar. In contrast, from the second instar onwards, they feed independently.
From the third instar, the larva begins to pupate by going into the soil.
The female lays eggs in an excavated part of the food source, regulating the number of eggs depending on the available food.
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Distribution | Mostly in Britain; it has also been seen in North Africa |
| Habitat | Woodlands |
| Seasons active | March to October |
| Diet of adults and larvae | Carrion of small creatures like birds, rodents, and frogs |
Like other burying beetles, the black sexton beetle will bury the carcass of its food source by removing the soil from underneath it. They will then remove the skin and fur from it, even amputating limbs to make it easier for them to devour.
Image Source: warehouse1.indicia.org.uk, biopix.com, ephotozine.com
