Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Red & Black Burying or Sexton Beetle

 

Red and Black Burying or Sextant Beetle   Nicrophorus Sayi

Red and Black Burying or Sextant Beetle   Nicrophorus Sayi

Red and Black Beetle2 Nicrophorus sayi

Burying beetles or sexton beetles (gensus  Nicrophorus) are the best-known members of the family Silphidae (carrion beetles). Most of these beetles are black with red markings on the elytra(forewings). Burying beetles are true to their name- they bury the carcasses of small vertebrates such as birds and rodents as a food source for their larvae. They are unusual among insects in that both the male and female parents take care for the brood.

CCMP_HVShelfLog

I have never spotted any on dead carcasses but see them a lot on old logs that have Shelve Mushrooms.

Red and Black Beetle Nicrophorus sayi