The burying beetles are the most well-known beetles in their family, Silphidae. As their name indicates, they bury carcasses of birds and rodents both for food and to raise their larvae.
Size: 1.0-1.4 inches (2.5-3.5 cm)
Color: They are black, with red markings on their elytra. Most beetles of this genus appear black with markings on red on their elytra.
Other Characteristic Features: There are large two antennae that look like clubs and are equipped with receptors that can detect carcasses from great distances.
The larva is white with orange stripes on each segment. After hatching, they move into the carrion buried underground by their parents.
Unlike most other insects burying beetles tend to rear their young by feeding them, a trait barely seen in other beetle genera. However, at the same time they practice infanticide and kill off some of their offspring at an early stage to ensure the rest get proper nutrition.
Once their source of carrion has depleted, the larvae begin to pupate. The parents leave them during this period. The tiny white larvae eventually develop into a full-grown beetle.
Both parents look for a suitable source of carrion and bury it underground. They then mate, after which the female lays the eggs near the crypt.
| Other names | Sexton beetles, carrion beetles |
| Lifespan | 1 year |
| Distribution | Worldwide |
| Habitat | Fields, forests, and grasslands |
| Predators | Crows, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks |
| Seasons active | Summer |
| Hosts | Detritus |
| Diet of adults | Carrion, feces, rotting fruit, and maggots |
They do not cause enough identifiable damage, but are known to aggregate if carrion is found nearby.
Image Source: amazonaws.com, observation.org, scx2.b-cdn.net, m.psecn.photoshelter.com images.immediate.co.uk, depositphotos.com, uwm.edu,
The burying beetles are the most well-known beetles in their family, Silphidae. As their name indicates, they bury carcasses of birds and rodents both for food and to raise their larvae.
Size: 1.0-1.4 inches (2.5-3.5 cm)
Color: They are black, with red markings on their elytra. Most beetles of this genus appear black with markings on red on their elytra.
Other Characteristic Features: There are large two antennae that look like clubs and are equipped with receptors that can detect carcasses from great distances.
The larva is white with orange stripes on each segment. After hatching, they move into the carrion buried underground by their parents.
Unlike most other insects burying beetles tend to rear their young by feeding them, a trait barely seen in other beetle genera. However, at the same time they practice infanticide and kill off some of their offspring at an early stage to ensure the rest get proper nutrition.
Once their source of carrion has depleted, the larvae begin to pupate. The parents leave them during this period. The tiny white larvae eventually develop into a full-grown beetle.
Both parents look for a suitable source of carrion and bury it underground. They then mate, after which the female lays the eggs near the crypt.
| Other names | Sexton beetles, carrion beetles |
| Lifespan | 1 year |
| Distribution | Worldwide |
| Habitat | Fields, forests, and grasslands |
| Predators | Crows, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks |
| Seasons active | Summer |
| Hosts | Detritus |
| Diet of adults | Carrion, feces, rotting fruit, and maggots |
They do not cause enough identifiable damage, but are known to aggregate if carrion is found nearby.
Image Source: amazonaws.com, observation.org, scx2.b-cdn.net, m.psecn.photoshelter.com images.immediate.co.uk, depositphotos.com, uwm.edu,
