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.
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.
Carrion Beetle
Larva
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.
Burying Beetle Larvae
Pupa
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.
Burying Beetle Pupa
Egg
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.
Quick Facts
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
Sexton Beetle
Identifying the Damage Caused by Them
They do not cause enough identifiable damage, but are known to aggregate if carrion is found nearby.
Burying Beetle Picture
Did You Know
These beetles have a symbiotic relationship with red mites. The mites travel on the back of the burying beetle and eat the eggs of the maggots, who are potential competition to their larvae.
In the older texts, the genus name was sometimes misspelled as Necrophorus, which isn’t concol3red valid by the ICZN.
