Pest Control Company - Finding the Right One: June 2023

Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Araneus Orb Weaver: Essential Facts and Tips for Enthusiasts

Araneus Orb Weavers are a fascinating group of spiders known for their impressive webs and intriguing appearances. These arachnids are part of the Araneidae family and can be found in various environments around the world. Their unique features and intriguing behavior make them an excellent topic for exploration.

One of the most significant characteristics of Araneus Orb Weavers is their distinctive web-building abilities. Their webs are typically large, intricate, and efficient at catching prey. These spiders are also known for their diverse appearances, with some species displaying vibrant colors and intricate patterns.

Some noteworthy examples of Araneus Orb Weavers include the Marbled Orbweaver Spider and the Cross Orbweaver Spider. In the context of their environment, these creatures play a crucial role in controlling insect populations and providing a valuable source of food for other animals.

Araneus Orb Weaver Identification

Physical Characteristics

Araneus orb weaver spiders are known for their distinctive orb-shaped webs. Some key features of these spiders include:

Eight legs
Two main body parts: cephalothorax and abdomen
Spinnerets for producing silk

Size

Araneus orb weavers vary in size, but generally speaking:

Females: 9 to 20 millimeters in length
Males: smaller than females

Coloration

These spiders can have diverse color patterns, with some examples being:

Orange abdomens with brown to purple markings and pale yellow spots, as seen in marbled orbweavers
Yellow to brown background color with wavy or scalloped lines, like the cross orbweaver

Sexual Dimorphism

Males and females of the Araneus orb weaver species show differences in size, color, and reproductive structures. For instance:

Males: smaller than females, often with different color patterns
Females: larger, with distinctive epigyne (the female reproductive structure)

Comparison Table:

Feature	Male	Female
Size	Smaller	Larger (9 to 20 mm)
Color Patterns	May differ from females	Unique patterns for species
Reproductive Organs	Palp (modified leg for mating)	Epigyne (female structure)

Remember, when identifying Araneus orb weaver spiders, it’s helpful to consider multiple factors like size, coloration, and sexual characteristics.

Classification and Species

Taxonomy

Araneus Orb Weaver spiders belong to the family Araneidae and the genus Araneus. They are classified under the kingdom Animalia, phylum Arthropoda, subphylum Chelicerata, class Arachnida, order Araneae, and infraorder Araneomorphae¹.

Common Araneus Species

There are several different Araneus species, with some commonly known ones listed below:

Araneus marmoreus: Also known as the Marbled Orb Weaver.
Araneus quadratus: Common in Europe².
Araneus saevus: Found in North America³.
Neoscona crucifera: Another orb-weaving species, known as Hentz’s Orbweaver.

Synonyms and Other Common Names

The genus Araneus is also referred to as orb-weaver spiders or, more generally, the angulate and roundshouldered orbweavers⁴. In addition to their scientific names, some species may have region-specific common names.

Comparison of Common Araneus Species

Species	Location	Common Name
Araneus marmoreus	North America	Marbled Orb Weaver
Araneus quadratus	Europe	–
Araneus saevus	North America	–
Neoscona crucifera	North America	Hentz’s Orbweaver

Notable Characteristics of Araneus Orb Weavers:

Create spiral, orb-like webs.
Can be found in various habitats, including gardens, forests, and grasslands.
They are not aggressive and rarely harmful to humans⁵.

Distribution and Habitat

Geographical Range

Araneus Orb Weaver spiders can be found across a vast range, including Canada, the United States, and parts of Europe. They inhabit diverse regions in North America, from the cool climate of Alaska to the warm conditions of South Carolina.

In the United States, their presence varies. They are more common in the:

Northern states like Oregon and Newfoundland
Western states such as Utah

Preferred Environment

Araneus Orb Weaver spiders are highly adaptable to various environments. They favor:

Forests
Gardens
Wooded areas
Grasslands

These spiders can often be seen building their webs between trees or on tall vegetation. During late summer and early autumn, they become more visible as they construct larger webs in the surrounding landscape.

Webs and Behavior

Web Construction

Araneus Orb Weavers are known for their intricate and large webs. These orb-weaving spiders construct their webs using a combination of sticky and non-sticky silk. Key features of their webs include:

Spiral shape
Radial threads for support
Sticky silk to catch prey

For example, the Araneus cavaticus species builds large orb webs around twilight, which helps them catch nocturnal insects.

Feeding Habits

As opportunistic predators, Araneus Orb Weavers consume various types of insects they catch in their webs. Common prey includes:

Flies
Moths
Beetles
Grasshoppers

Araneus Orb Weavers typically immobilize their prey by wrapping it in silk, before injecting it with venom to digest it externally.

Reproduction and Egg-laying

Araneus Orb Weavers reproduce sexually, with males often being much smaller than females. After mating, females lay eggs, which are encased in a protective silken sac. Some details on their reproduction and egg-laying process:

Males may die after mating
Female produces multiple egg sacs
Eggs hatch in spring or summer
Young spiders disperse via ballooning

In the table below, you can see a comparison of two common Araneus species: the Cross Orbweaver and the Marbled Orbweaver.

Feature	Cross Orbweaver	Marbled Orbweaver
Web location	Gardens, building exteriors	Gardens, meadows, dense vegetation
Size	14-20 mm (female), 5-10 mm (male)	9-20 mm (female)
Color	Yellow to brown with a cross pattern	Orange with brown to purple markings
Distribution	North America, Europe, and Asia	Northern and Central America, Europe, Asia

Human-Orb Weaver Interaction

Venom and Bites

Araneus orb-weaver spiders are generally not dangerous to humans. Their venom is meant for immobilizing and consuming prey rather than causing substantial harm to humans. Bites from orb-weavers are rare, but may occur if the spider feels threatened. Symptoms of a bite can include:

Swelling: mild to moderate swelling around the bite area
Pain: localized pain that may resemble a bee sting

It is important to note that individual reactions to spider bites can vary.

Natural Pest Control

Orb-weaver spiders, such as the barn spider, are beneficial as natural pest controllers. Their webs efficiently capture many insects that are considered pests, including:

Flies
Mosquitoes
Moths

Having orb-weavers around your garden or property can help reduce the need for chemical pest control methods.

Additional Remarks

Identification: Orb-weaver spiders can be distinguished by their large, round abdomens and the intricate, circular webs they build.
Eggs: Female orb-weavers lay their eggs in a protective silken sac, usually on the ground or hidden under vegetation.
How to know the spiders: Observe their web patterns and body shape to identify them as orb-weavers. Some common types include marbled orb-weavers and cross orb-weavers.

Spider Type	Markings	Web Location
Marbled Orbweaver	Orange with brown/purple markings	Trees, tall grasses
Cross Orbweaver	Yellow/brown with white cross-shaped spots	Fences, shrubs

Remember that orb-weaver spiders are more of a help than a hindrance and recognizing their presence can be an indicator of a healthy ecosystem.

Letter 1 – Another Araneas Orb Weaver

barn spider?
Hello!
We have a few of these in our front yard in North Carolina only at night only in the Fall. They spin gigantic webs (roughly 2×2 feet )–but with a very strong anchor webbing that often goes 10-15 feet to the web itself. The spiders are large with a big abdomen,and they have hairs on their legs (as can be seen in the picture). By morning, the webs are gone completely and the spiders can’t be found. They seem somewhat like barn spiders, but the fine-scale concentric web weaving seems different. Let us know what you think they are.
–Zab

Hi Zab,
Tha Barn Spider, Araneas cavaticus, is just one of a large genus known collectively as Orb Weavers. Most have the behavior you describe, including building a large web nightly, and hiding by day. I can’t commit to an exact species in your case.

Letter 2 – Araneas Orb Weaver

spider
Greetings-
This spider has been building a spectacular web outside my parent’s house for the last 2 weeks. Its body is about 1 inch long (head to tail), and about 2 inches from tip of front legs to tip of back legs. It has spots on its back that aren’t obvious in this photo- it builds its web each night and hides during the day so we have had trouble taking its picture! It is a magnificent spider, but we haven’t seen anything like this before (in Cupertino, California) and I we are wondering if it is introduced from somewhere else.
your help will be much appreciated!
cheers,
Karah

Hi Karah,
Your Orb Weaver, Araneas species, is a common spider in the United States as well as other parts of the world. The spiders spin a new web each night.

Letter 3 – Araneus cingulatus

Electric Green Spider
Hi;
Attached are 2 macro photos of a small spider, 1/4" max. which I photographed on the door of my daughter’s car last week. The spider seemed to have an almost "electric" or "International Orange" type yellow/green glow to its abdomen, the photo doesn’t do it justice. My daughter says you may be able to help identify it. Thank You
Jim Pollister
PS-I told my daughter to stop playing with those radioactive materials!!!
PPS: I saw your note about the number of requests your getting. No rush but I really would like to get an answer sometime.

Hi Jim,
If we don’t answer a letter shortly after its arrival, chances are very good it will just get lost in the black hole of our mailbox and get deleted after time. The constant influx of new mail quickly replaces older unanswered mail. We found your spider on BugGuide. This is Araneus cingulatus, and there is no common name.

Letter 4 – Araneus Orb Weaver

id question
Hi I photographed this spider on my deck in NC. He moved from screen door to window to eaves. Could it be a garden orb?
Thanks,
Bill McDearmon

Hi Bill,
You definitely have an Araneus Orb Weaver spider.

Letter 5 – Araneus Orb Weaver

need help identifying spider
I looked through the collection of spider pictures on your site and could not find one that resembles the spider living in the corner of our patio cover. It is yellowish-orange and has a protrusion on each side of the top of its abdomen. Attached are some photos. Please help identify it and let us know whether or not it is poisonous. Thanks,
Sean
Albuquerque NM

Hi Sean,
This is an Araneus Orb Weaver. It is often very difficult to identify exact species as there is so much variation within individual species. Though all spiders are poisonous, this group does not pose a threat to humans.

Letter 6 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Beautiful spider
Greetings, and thank you for a truly wonderful site. I have attached photos of a gorgeous orbweaver who has graced my garden all season. She is BIG (the size of a sweet cherry), has an orange abdomen with white spots, a scarlet stripe up the underside, legs of alternating transparent and brown, and fine hairs all over. She takes down substantial prey – junebugs, large grasshoppers and moths, etc. Her web is small – about the size of a salad plate. She is unusual in that she only sits in the middle of her web after dark. She built a hut out of curled peony leaves, and she shelters there throughout the daylight hours and during rainstorms (doesn’t even drop into her web if she snags an insect – she waits until dusk to emerge). The hut-building behavior has me stumped, as well as her rather spectacular coloring. Can you help? Thanks!
Lynn Erickson

Hi Lynn,
This is one of the Araneus Orb Weavers. The species in this genus have variable coloration and we often have problems with exact species identification. The shelter building behavior and coloration tend to indicate either the Marbled Araneus, Araneus marmoreus, or the Shamrock Spider, Araneus trifolium. Petoskey, Michigan

Letter 7 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Charlotte-Our beautiful family member
Hi Bugman,
This picture was taken in August 2006 at my home in Nevada City, CA. It is now January 2007 and Charlotte is still living under our eaves. In fact, she laid a large egg sack this morning. What a great spider to have around for the last 6 months. We will be sad to see her pass on but look forward to the new arrivals (Spring?). I sincerely hope you can find space on your site for this beautiful family member! Cheers,
Kris Crabtree

Hi Kris,
Charlotte is some species of Araneus Orb Weaver.

Letter 8 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Red-Back Spider ID
While visiting my daughter last week in Cotati, CA, we went to a beach just North of Bodega Bay (which is about 50+ miles north of San Francisco). While walking near the edge of the grassy area and the sand, my daughter spotted this spider. We’ve looked on-line and looked again and again and can’t find any information about it. Can you tell us what type of spider it is. It was among some larger rocks and really stood out because if its red back. I’m sorry the quality of the photos are not good. All I took with me that day with a small 3 pixel camera. I left the good 6 pixel at home (and I’ll not do that again). Thanks!!
Lois Sauer
Rainbow City, AL

Hi Lois,
This is one of the Araneus Orb Weaver spiders. We have problems differentuating the various species. They are harmless spiders.

Letter 9 – Araneus Orb Weaver

orange spider
I found this in my backyard near Dayton, Oh. I was amazed at how flouresent the orange coloring was. Is it a type of Araneus? cool website!! Thanks
Brian Tesmer
Dayton Oh

Hi Brian,
Indeed, this is an Araneus Orb Weaver, but we have given up trying to identify most specimens to the the species level as there is so much variation within the species. Eric Eaton wrote in to clarify: “The Araneus orb weaver is an emaciated marbled orb weaver, Araneus marmoreus.”

Letter 10 – Araneus species

Hello,
I found this on my patio wall and it looks like one that I stepped on last month in Scottsdale, AZ. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Kelli Benne

Hi Kelli,
It is one of the Araneus species of Orb Weavers. Harmless.

Letter 11 – Araneus species

New Visitor
Greetings,
I was wondering if you recognize this spider that has recently appeared around my house. It is about one and a half inches from the end of one leg to another and is currently residing in New Hampshire. Thanks for any info!
John

Hi John,
You have an Orb Weaving Spider from the genus Araneus. Sorry I can’t give you an exact species name. She is a female and will probably be laying eggs soon if she hasn’t already. She is harmless.

Letter 12 – Barn Spider, Araneas cavaticus

COOL SITE!!!!
Don’t really have a question. I took this picture outside my sliding glass door. Sadly, this little guy build his web right where my head would go if I were to go through the doorway. Therefore, he and all his creepy-crally friends are going to have to go (I’ve called and exterminator). He still made for a good photo.
Ted S.
Austin, TX

Hi Ted,
Thanks for the nice photo of what looks like a Barn Spider, Araneas cavaticus. Sorry to hear she is a goner.

Letter 13 – Orb Weaver: Araneus cingulatus

(Image attached!) Tiny green spider with interesting markings! Georgetown, Ohio
(If you have already opened and read my first message, I offer my sincerest apologies. I did not attach the image in the previous message.)
Hello,
I found this spider on a tomato plant in my backyard today. I realize the photograph is not as high-resolution as it could be, but this spider was only half the size of a grain of rice so it was somewhat difficult to get a good shot with my six megapixel camera. It’s like nothing I’ve seen before, and the yellow and red pattern on its back was astounding in its symmetry and seemed unusually detailed for an insect of this size. The closest thing I could find to it on your site was a spider referred to as Araneus Cingulatus, but, while somewhat similar in color and markings, varies in its size, shape, and type of pattern. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Alan K.

Hi Alan,
People are always sending us emails and forgetting to attach the images. This is an Orb Weaver, and it looks to be Araneus cingulatus based on an image posted to BugGuide.

The post Araneus Orb Weaver: Essential Facts and Tips for Enthusiasts appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Appalachian Brown: All You Need to Know for Your Next Adventure

The Appalachian Brown, scientifically known as Lethe appalachia, is a medium-sized butterfly native to the Appalachian region of the United States. With a wingspan ranging from 1¾ to 2¼ inches (4.8 to 5.7 cm), this butterfly exhibits a distinct pattern of eyespots on its wings, giving it a unique and striking appearance. The ventral forewing typically has four eyespots, while the hindwing boasts six or seven, each surrounded by white-dotted “pupils” and rings of yellow, brown, and white creating a bull’s-eye effect.

In its natural habitat, the Appalachian Brown can often be found in wooded areas near streams and other wetlands. They prefer shaded environments, where they blend in with the surrounding foliage. The butterfly’s caterpillar feeds primarily on grasses, while the adult prefers nectar-rich flowers that grow in the Appalachian region.

Understanding the Appalachian Brown butterfly can provide valuable insights into the biodiversity and ecology of the Appalachian Mountains. With its unique appearance and fascinating habits, this species is an essential part of the region’s ecosystems, contributing to the balance and beauty of its natural environment.

Appalachian Brown Overview

History and Origin

The Appalachian Brown (Lethe appalachia) is a butterfly species native to the Appalachian region. Its wingspan ranges between 1¾ – 2¼ inches (4.8 – 5.7 cm). The butterfly features medium brown wings with ventral forewings displaying four eyespots and hindwings presenting six or seven. These white-dotted “pupils” are circled with yellow, brown, and white, creating a striking bull’s-eye effect¹.

Geographical Distribution

These particular butterflies are commonly found in the Appalachian region, a vast area including parts of Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia. The Appalachian region is notable for its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystems².

Some key points about the Appalachian Brown’s distribution:

Predominantly found in the Appalachian region
States include Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia
Flourishes in a diverse range of ecosystems

Appalachian Brown Features

Physical Characteristics

The Appalachian Brown (Lethe appalachia) is a butterfly with a wingspan of 1¾ – 2¼ inches (4.8 – 5.7 cm). It has medium brown wings, and its ventral forewing features four eyespots. The hindwing contains six or seven eyespots, with white-dotted “pupils” ringed in yellow, brown, and white to create a distinctive bull’s-eye effect. The size of these eyespots may vary.

Behavior and Lifestyle

The Appalachian Brown is part of the wildlife in the Appalachian region
This butterfly species is involved in pollination, benefiting the ecosystem

As a butterfly, the Appalachian Brown goes through typical stages of metamorphosis, including egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The butterfly’s mind and body transform through each stage, allowing it to adapt to its changing environment.

Comparison Table: Appalachian Brown vs. a Bat

Feature	Appalachian Brown	Bat
Type	Insect (butterfly)	Mammal
Wingspan	1¾ – 2¼ inches (4.8 – 5.7 cm)	Varies by species (e.g. 6-20 inches)
Eyespots	4 on the forewing, 6 or 7 on the hindwing	None
Role in Ecosystem	Pollinator	Pollinator, insect predator, and seed disperser

The Appalachian Brown’s behavior and lifestyle is quite different from that of a bat, as it’s an insect, while a bat is a mammal. The butterfly is active during the day and contributes to plant pollination, just like some bat species. However, bats play additional roles in their ecosystems such as predation on insects and seed dispersal.

The Appalachian Trail

Hiking the Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile footpath that stretches across the scenic Appalachian Mountains. It offers a diverse hiking experience for both day-hikers and long-distance thru-hikers. The trail starts at Springer Mountain in Georgia and ends at Katahdin in Maine.

Springer Mountain: Southern terminus of the trail
Katahdin: Northern terminus of the trail

Tips and Planning

Before setting out on a hike, proper planning is crucial. Here are some tips to help ensure a comfortable and safe journey:

Budget: Determine the cost of food, gear, and permits beforehand
Pace: Know your hiking pace and plan daily distances accordingly
Trail Name: Choose a unique name to be identified by on the trail
Lyme Disease: Carry tick repellent and check for ticks frequently

Packing Essentials:

Sleeping bag
Sturdy footwear
Water filtration system
First-aid kit

Comparison Table: Day-Hike vs. Thru-Hike

Aspect	Day-Hike	Thru-Hike
Distance	Up to 15 miles	Up to 2,190+ miles
Duration	A few hours to a full day	4 to 7 months (average)
Planning	Minimal (a day or two)	Extensive (can take months)
Gear	Basic hiking essentials	Long-term hiking and camping equipment

During your hike, you might encounter various shelters and campsites along the trail. Some may require permits or fees, so be sure to research in advance. Remember to respect the environment and follow Leave No Trace principles. Happy hiking!

Appalachian Culture and Tradition

Foodways and Southern Cooking

Appalachian culture is steeped in rich and diverse food traditions, combining both European and Native American influences. Some examples of traditional Appalachian food include:

Cornbread: A staple in Appalachian cooking, made from cornmeal and baked.
Soup beans: A popular dish made from pinto beans and slow-cooked with ham or bacon.
Fried green tomatoes: Breaded and fried unripe tomatoes, a Southern classic.

Notable cookbook author and Appalachian food enthusiast Ronni Lundy has made significant contributions to the preservation and popularization of Southern foodways.

Appalachian cooking displays the influence of its regions, giving rise to variations in dishes and ingredients. For example, coastal areas are more likely to incorporate seafood dishes, while rural communities often rely on locally sourced produce and meats.

Social and Family Life

Southern Appalachian communities are known for their tight-knit social and family structures. Typically, households in the late 19th to early 20th centuries were organized along patriarchal lines, with the oldest male relative holding decision-making authority ¹(https://databases.lib.utk.edu/arrowmont/Steve/Southern%20Appalachian%20Culture.pdf).

Family and social life in Appalachia are deeply connected to religion and spirituality. Religion is a significant cultural force in the region, shaping values and traditions both within and outside of its communities ²(https://festival.si.edu/articles/2003/religion-in-appalachia).

In terms of cultural influence, African Americans have played an important role in shaping the region’s music, oral history, and folk art ³(https://collections.library.appstate.edu/research-aids/african-american-cultural-influence-appalachia). Additionally, indigenous peoples have long been an integral part of Appalachia’s history and identity ⁴(https://libguides.wvu.edu/indigenousappalachia/who).

To sum up, understanding Appalachian culture and tradition encompasses several aspects, such as foodways, Southern cooking, social, family life, religious beliefs, and the influence of different ethnic and cultural groups that have shaped the region throughout history.

The Natural Environment

Flora and Fauna

The Appalachian Brown butterfly (Lethe appalachia) can be observed in the diverse natural environment of the Appalachian region. This region consists of rich woods and offers a harmonious blend of flora and fauna.

Wingspan: 1¾ – 2¼ inches (4.8 – 5.7 cm)
Color: Medium brown
Distinct features: White-dotted “pupils” on wings

These butterflies are often found living among plenty of other wildlife, with neighbors such as:

Deer
Black bears
Songbirds

The region is also home to various plant species, creating a lush environment for the Appalachian Brown and other creatures:

Oak and hickory trees
Mountain laurels
Rhododendrons

Conservation and Research

Efforts to conserve the natural habitats of the Appalachian Brown butterfly and other wildlife are essential. Researchers, for instance, explore into the impacts of human activities on wildlife in the region. They set up tents and delve into the woods to study the local ecosystem.

One way to protect the Appalachian Brown butterfly and its habitat is through the establishment of conservation areas. These areas prioritize the preservation of native species and their environments. They also serve as spaces where researchers can observe and monitor wildlife populations without disruption.

	Conservation Areas	Non-conservation Areas
Pros	1. Protects habitat	1. Allows for development
	2. Preserves species	2. Economic growth
Cons	1. Limits land use	1. Decreased biodiversity
	2. Requires funding	2. Habitat destruction

In summary, the Appalachian Brown butterfly thrives in the rich natural environment of the Appalachian region. The woods provide ample resources and shelter for the diverse wildlife. Conservation efforts and ongoing research contribute to a better understanding of these species and their habitats, helping to protect and preserve them for future generations.

Letter 1 – Appalacian Brown

Appalachian Brown butterfly? 1 of 3
Bugman,
Thought I was taking a picture of an Appalachian Brown butterfly in the mountains of Georgia but when I began to research it, I notice there were only three eyespots on the underside of the forewings instead of the usual four. And there seemed to be no spots on the upperside of the forewings. Could this be the difference between the male and female? I don’t know. I will send you several photos in separate emails so you can see. These photos are untouched. Looking forward to you answer.
Patrick Crone

Hi Patrick,
We agree that this is an Appalacian Brown, Satyrodes appalachia. The Satyr butterfies often have variations and it is possible that the one eyespots is so faint as to be undetectable. We don’t believe this is any indication of the sex of the butterfly.

Letter 2 – Appalacian Brown

Subject: Maybe an Appalacian Brown butterfly?
Location: Troy, VA
August 15, 2016 9:36 am
This somewhat the worse for wear butterfly was on the house bricks last night. He only stayed for a short while and then flew off. I realize lacking a chunk of wing makes it more difficult to identify, but his other wing was in even worse shape. Fortunately for the butterfly, the missing wing pieces didn’t impair its ability to fly. I think perhaps it’s an Appalacian brown?
Signature: Grace Pedalino

Dear Grace,
We had our doubts, but we now concur that this is an Appalacian Brown, Lethe appalachia, after reading this BugGuide description: “Adult: wings medium brown. Lower side of forewing with the two end eyespots larger than the middle two; spots may not touch. Dark line inside the hindwing row spot is sinuous or gently curving (not zigzagged, as it is in the Eyed Brown).” Once we compared BugGuide images of the two species, we agree that the line on the hindwing is sinuous, not zigzagged.

The post Appalachian Brown: All You Need to Know for Your Next Adventure appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Tuesday, 27 June 2023

American Burying Beetle: Quick Facts for Curious Minds

The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) is the largest carrion beetle in North America, reaching lengths of 1.0 to 1.8 inches (25 to 35 centimeters) ¹. Unique among insects, both male and female burying beetles engage in parental care, working together to bury their food source and tending to their offspring ².

Having once inhabited 32 states, the American burying beetle now only exists in a few ². Its fascinating lifecycle and diminishing habitat make it an important species to learn about and protect for future generations. Various management practices have been developed to help conserve this threatened critter ³.

American Burying Beetle: An Overview

Physical Characteristics and Size

The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) is a large and distinctive insect. Its key features include:

Size: Approximately 1.0 to 1.8 inches (25 to 35 centimeters) in length
Color: Black body with orange-red markings on its elytra
Pronotum: Pronounced, with a unique shape and markings for easy identification

Here’s a brief comparison with other beetles in North America:

Beetle Species	Length (in)	Color
American Burying Beetle	1.0 – 1.8	Black & Red
Eastern Hercules Beetle	1.2 – 2.7	Green & Black
June Beetle	0.5 – 1.0	Green & Brown

Habitat and Distribution

The American burying beetle was once widespread across 35 U.S. states. However, its range has now dramatically decreased, and the beetle is found only in:

A few states in the central and eastern United States
Two small areas in Oklahoma and Texas

Some factors contributing to their reduced habitat include:

Deforestation: Loss of wooded areas
Pesticides: Chemicals harming the beetle population
Population decline: Decrease in small mammal species (their primary food source)

Diet and Feeding

American burying beetles are primarily scavengers, feeding on dead animals. They have an interesting feeding behavior, as they:

Locate a small dead animal using their strong sense of smell
Bury the carcass underground to protect it from other beetles or predators
Lay eggs on the carcass
Stay with their offspring underground, feeding and protecting them until they hatch

This diet and feeding behavior make the American burying beetle a key species in the decomposition and recycling processes in their ecosystem.

Reproduction and Parenting

Mating and Egg Laying

The American burying beetle’s reproductive process begins with mating. The male and female beetles engage in a search for a suitable carcass to bury, which serves as a source of nourishment for their offspring.

Once a carcass is found and buried, the female beetle lays her eggs nearby. This process is referred to as egg laying. The number of eggs laid typically ranges from 10 to 30.

Parental Care

Parental care is an essential aspect of the American burying beetle’s life cycle. Both the male and female beetles work together to care for their eggs and larvae.

Notable behaviors of parental care include:

Carcass preparation: The beetles remove fur or feathers from the carcass and apply secretions to prevent decay.
Feeding assistance: Both parents regurgitate pre-digested food for their larvae, ensuring they have adequate nourishment.
Protection: The beetles actively defend their offspring from potential predators and parasites.

Larvae

After the eggs hatch, the larvae emerge and begin feeding on the prepared carcass. The parents continue to provide care and nourishment during this stage.

Some key aspects of the larvae stage include:

Rapid development: The larvae grow quickly and molt several times before reaching the pupal stage.
Pupal stage: After their final molt, the larvae enter the pupal stage, where they transform into adult beetles.

Stage	Duration
Egg	3-7 days
Larvae	7-14 days
Pupal	7-10 days

This table shows a comparison of their developmental stages and their respective durations.

In summary, the reproductive process of the American burying beetle involves mating, egg-laying, parental care, and the development of larvae. Through these combined efforts, the beetles maximize the survival and growth of their offspring in the wild.

Conservation Status and Efforts

Endangered Species Act

The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) was initially classified as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. However, recent efforts have led to its reclassification from endangered to threatened status.

Causes of Decline

Major reasons for the decline of the American burying beetle include:

Habitat loss: Destruction of natural habitats due to urbanization and agriculture.
Climate change: Shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns affecting beetle populations.
Pesticides: Chemicals used in agriculture and pest control harming beetles.

Current Conservation Measures

Several initiatives are in place to protect the American burying beetle:

Habitat protection: Preserving and restoring habitats to support beetle populations.
Captive breeding programs: Increasing beetle numbers in controlled environments before reintroduction into the wild.
Reducing pesticide exposure: Implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to minimize harmful impacts on beetles.

Conservation Measures	Pros	Cons
Habitat protection	Preserves natural environments	Limited resources for large-scale efforts
Captive breeding programs	Boosts population numbers	Possible loss of genetic diversity
Reducing pesticide exposure	Promotes healthier ecosystems	Challenges in balancing pest control and beetle protection

Role in Ecosystem and Impacts

Scavengers and Carrion Ecosystems

The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) plays a crucial role in ecosystems as scavengers. They feed on animal carcasses, mainly small vertebrates like birds and mammals. Key benefits include:

Breaking down carcasses, which helps recycle nutrients into the ecosystem
Reducing disease transmission risk from dead animals

Relation to Other Animals

American burying beetles interact with various animals in their habitats:

Carrion beetles and other scavengers compete for resources, such as carcasses
Predators like birds and mammals may prey on burying beetles
The beetles host red mites, which can impact their populations

Future Challenges

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{
“data”: {
“h-0”: “Challenge”,
“h-1”: “Impact”,
“0-0”: “Habitat loss”,
“1-0”: “Climate change”,
“0-1”: “Reduced availability of carcasses”,
“1-1”: “Altered distribution of beetle populations”
},
“cols”: 2,
“rows”: 2
}
[/block]

The American burying beetle faces several future challenges, as summarized in the table above. Habitat loss and climate change may threaten beetle populations and the important role they play in maintaining carrion ecosystem health.

Geographic Spread

United States Distribution

The American burying beetle, also known as the giant carrion beetle, was once found in 32 states across the United States. However, their current distribution is significantly reduced, and they are now primarily found in Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Texas, Rhode Island, and Oklahoma. These beetles prefer oak-hickory forests as their habitat and are known for staying underground during the daytime.

Notable populations are found on Nantucket and Block Island, which are the last remaining northeastern populations.

Canadian Presence

While there is limited information related to the American burying beetle’s presence in Canada, its southern plains range is known to be a key area for conservation efforts. In the southern plains, estimated habitat suitability is studied to help assess and protect the species.

Key Features of the American Burying Beetle:

Largest carrion beetle in North America
Length: 1.0 to 1.8 inches (25 to 35 centimeters)
Diet: Small dead animals
Active primarily at night
Known for burying their food

Comparison Table:

Aspect	Old Distribution	Current Distribution
Number of States	32	Mainly 8
Forest Type	Various	Oak-Hickory Forests
Habitat Ideal	Wide Range	Southern Plains

Current Research and Monitoring

Laboratory Studies

Recent research on the American burying beetle (a silphid beetle) has focused on understanding their biology and factors affecting their survival in laboratory settings. This includes studies on their reproductive behavior and development. For instance:

Researchers have found that burying beetles prefer smaller carcasses for breeding.
The beetles exhibit parental care, with both parents tending to their larvae.

Breeding Population Monitoring

Monitoring the breeding populations of the American burying beetle is essential for its conservation, especially considering its status as a threatened species. Habitat degradation, alteration, and fragmentation pose major challenges for this beetle. Efforts are undertaken to track changes in population numbers and distribution. A few examples of monitoring methods include:

Live trapping and mark-recapture techniques to estimate population size
Remote sensing technology to monitor habitat changes

Here’s a comparison table showing laboratory studies and breeding population monitoring methods for the American burying beetle:

Aspect	Laboratory Studies	Breeding Population Monitoring
Focus	Biology and survival	Population and habitat
Types of research	Reproduction, development	Live trapping, remote sensing
Conservation goals	Improve captive breeding	Restore and protect habitat

In conclusion, research and monitoring of the American burying beetle are valuable to guide conservation efforts and protect this threatened species as it faces challenges due to habitat changes and fragmentation.

Letter 1 – Burying Beetle with Mites

What is this flying black bug with orange spots?
August 10, 2009
I’ve never seen a bug quite like this one, it flew into my house, and ended up landing on a washcloth, where I was able to get a picture. It was covered in tiny spiders so as soon as I got the picture I put the bug and the washcloth outside, but I’m still curious as to what it was exactly. It was 1-2 inches long, definitely had wings and three pairs of legs. Its antennae and legs were furry.
Thanks
Enumclaw, Washington

This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, but we cannot tell you the exact species. None of the examples posted to BugGuide illustrate four distinct red spots in a row across the elytra or wing covers. The Burying Beetle was transporting Mites, not spiders. The Mites use the Burying Beetle to travel from location to location, a phenomenon known as phoresy, in order to take advantage of flight to access a new food source. Burying Beetles will bury small dead creatures like birds or mice and lay eggs on the carcass. The young feed on the rotting flesh. The Mites feed on fly eggs and maggots, so phoresy is mutually advantageous to the Mites and the Burying Beetles. The Mites get a food source and the Burying Beetle benefits because more rotting flesh is available to its progeny. We will see if Eric Eaton can assist us in an exact species identification.

Update from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
I’m pretty sure this is just a variation of the sexton beetle Nicrophorus defodiens. It is highly variable in its markings, as evidenced by the individual specimens in the image gallery here:
http://collections2.eeb.uconn.edu/nicroweb/hatchabs/index.htm
I know I have seen very similar specimens from northwest Oregon, too.
Eric

Letter 2 – Burying Beetles eat mouse

Subject: Mouse eating bugs
Location: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
August 2, 2012 8:30 pm
It’s summer here, August 2nd, and I found these bugs outside in the evening devouring a dead mouse. They could fly, and occasionally they would fight each other. Also, it appeared as though they may have been carrying their babies on their back. They were incredibly active, especially when fighting with each other, any idea what they are?
Signature: -L

Hi L,
These are Burying Beetles or Sexton Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus, and Burying Beetles are best know for burying small dead animals and guarding the corpse while their larvae develop in the putrefying flesh. It appears this mouse is on concrete, and the Burying Beetles are unable to bury it on site and it is too heavy for them to transport. The babies you mentioned are most like Phoretic Mites which use the Burying Beetles’ ability to fly to hitchhike to a new food source. The mites will feed on maggots and fly eggs so this is a symbiotic relationship between the Burying Beetles and the Phoretic Mites. The Mites get transportation and the Bury Beetles benefit because there is more rotting flesh for their young, ensuring that more larvae will have enough food to mature and perpetuate the next generation. You can get additional information on Burying Beetles on BugGuide.

Letter 3 – Burying Beetle

Greetings,
While mushroom picking this September on the north-eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, I found this Hallowe’en coloured beetle along with some carrion beetles munching on a rotting Boletus badius.
Would you identify it for me please?
Thanks,
C. Peniuta

Hi C,
This is a Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. They feed on carrion but are also attracted to rotting fungus.

Letter 4 – Burying Beetle covered in Mites

Love your site! A new website record for you–number of bugs per inch
Here’s a picture that has got to be a record for the number of bugs per square inch. A bug buddy of mine tells me this is a Nicrophorus (negrita?) carrion beetle (about the size of a large bumblebee). Hard to tell with all the pinhead-sized phoretic mites covering it. After some "Googling", I found that the mites actually have a mutual symbiotic relationship with the beetles (although they really were a hindrance to this beetle!). The mites use the beetle for transport and then destroy blowfly eggs and other competitors of the beetle at the carcass. This beetle could hardly get in the air, but it managed to fly through my back door (buzzing loudly) and crash around before I could catch it. I’m not normally scared of bugs, but this was a little creepy. Since they’re all good guys, back out the door they go! I’ll try to get a few more pix before I do that. The mites kept running around quite rapidly as well, which probably didn’t help.
Janet Sugino
Brinnon WA (Olympic Penninsula area)

Wow Janet,
A killer photo as well as the research that needs to accompany it. You are awesome.

Update from Barry M. OConnor (05/23/2006)
Mites on burying beetles. These are as you indicate, phoretic mites in the family Parasitidae, genus Poecilochirus. Species in this genus all have obligate relationships with silphid beetles. Although they will feed on fly eggs, they also feed from the vertebrate carrion as well.

Letter 5 – Burying Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites

beetle with offspring?
Hi There. We found this creature in our house one evening. It had small, moving, red creatures(?) on it’s back which I thought might be offspring or parasites. I’ve never seen this type of bug before. Can you help? We live in Santa Barbara, CA. Thanks for your help.
PW

Hi PW,
This is a Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Here is a quote from a posting Eric Eaton made to Bugguide: “The mites are phoretic, meaning they are only using the beetle as transportation. This is a carrion beetle (Nicrophorus sp.), and once it arrives at a carcass, the mites will disembark (de-beetle?), and go about feeding on the eggs of blow flies, the beetle’s major competition for the corpse. So, the mites actually benefit the beetle.”

Letter 6 – Burying Beetle

alaskan beetle
Hi,
Found your cool site and wondered if you could identify this beetle. We found a couple of them and several larvae in a pile of dog poop behind our home in Anchorage. It seemed to be an inch long and about .5 inch wide. My wife said it opened up it its wings but did not fly. Its antennae are really wild looking. It dug itself into the grass/ground quickly after turning it loose. Neither of us has ever seen one and both have lived in Alaska all our lives. Thanks,
Mike & Heather

Hi Mike and Heather,
You have a species of Burying Beetle. These beetles eat carrion. I have read that a pair can bury a small mouse in a few hours. A hole is dug under the corpse which is eventually buried. Then eggs are laid on the dead critter which serves as food for the growing larvae. We were uncertain as to the exact species, and Eric Eaton has informed us that certain identification would be time consuming but it belongs to the Genus Nicrophorus.

Letter 7 – Burying Beetle

was thinking that this is a american burying beetle was hoping u could confirm.i live in the st. louis region of missouri and if it is they haven’t been seen in this state for 25 years are so and are in the “Animals of Conservation Concern”I found them under a decaying turtle after photoing them they were returned to their meal unharmed.I do have a few more pictures if u need.thanx alot for your time and this great website.
steven

Hi Steven, The photo shows a captive Burying Beetle most probably Nicrophorus sayi.

Letter 8 – Burying Beetle

another bug
Hi guys…
I discovered this guy hiding under groundcover…. Perfect timing—he looks like the Halloween bug…. Some borer or beetle I guess…if you know the name, I’d appreciate it! Thanks,
Sherrie Gerber

Hi Sherrie,
This is one of the Burying Beetles, so named because they bury small dead animals that act as a larval food source.

Letter 9 – Burying Beetle

Hi, glad to find your site. You can answer at my home address I’ve sent a
copy to. I found an insect in my bathroom on the floor, took it outside. Found an identical one a few days later, this time in the sink. I did make a digital photo of it and was wondering if I may send it to you as an attachment. I believe this creature was about an inch long, looks like a beetle but the rear half of the body has no wings. If it lands upside down it cannot right itself. Its base color is black, with bright accents on the rear half of the body. Let me know about the pic and I’ll send it right off to you. Its mouth parts are easy to see. It was not touchy and had no problem with crawling right on to a piece of paper so I could take it outside.

You have found a Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus species, which is an extremely interesting beetle. The adults are capable of burying the entire carcass of a small animal, like a mouse, which they dig under until the body falls into the hole. It then is buried and becomes the food source of the larvae after the eggs have been deposited on the corpse. According to Borror, Triplehorn and Johnson in their book An Introduction to the Study of Insects, "These beetles are remarkably strong. A pair may move an animal as large as a rat several feet to get it to a suitable spot for burying." Adults and grubs both feed on carrion. Thank you for sending the images.

Thank you! That was very fast. Seems to be a very useful insect.

08/01/2005) We Stand Corrected
Nicrophorus picture On the first beetle page there is a picture dated 9/11/2003 of a Nicrophorus. You have identified it as Nicrophorus americana. N. americana has a reddish-orange pronotum (the upper part of the body between the head and the elytra. The specimen would also be small for americana if the coin in the upper left hand corner is a nickle (americana would be about twice this size). Brett Ratcliffe at the University of Nebraska might be able to tell you what species of Nicrophorus this is.
Charles Wright
Frankfort, KY

Letter 10 – Burying Beetle

Corpse Bug in New Mexico?
Hello WTB,
This guy was crawling over the boulders (gravel) in my garden yesterday. He went on his way after I took a couple of pictures. I only wish I’d had better depth of field. He was (and still is, somewhere) about an inch long. I think he is of the Silphidae? What do you say? (I just couldn’t resist adding the greeting on the last pic!) best to you,
Sarah

Hi Sarah,
This is indeed a Silphid or Burying Beetle. They are also known as Sexton Beetles. We aren’t sure what your exact species is.

Letter 11 – Burying Beetle

BeetleBug?!
Hi I saw this beetle while taking a walk and thought id photograph it. It appears to have children on its back that it is guarding. I was just wonder what type of beetle it is and what its habits are?
Stefan

Hi Stefan,
This is a Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. The creatures you perceived as children are mites. The mites are not parasitic on the beetle, but use it for transportation, a phenomenon known as phoresy. The mites climb on the beetle to be carried to the next dead creature the beetle encounters. The Burying Beetles often work in pairs burying animals after finding small dead rodents or birds, or even reptiles. Once the beetles have successfully buried the animal, eggs are laid and the carcass will provide food for the newly hatched larvae.

Letter 12 – Burying Beetle

hi
I was wondering what sort of insect this is. It landed on our picnic table in Frankfort Indiana and had little red aphid-like insects crawling on it’s carapace and antenna. The insect was having difficulty moving but did not seem to be fighting the aphids other than to get them off its antennae. Can you identify it? Thanks
Megan

Hi Megan,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. They bury small animals and lay eggs since rotting flesh is the larval food. The red crawlers you saw, but that your photograph does not show very well, are maggot eating mites. The Burying Beetle and the Mites have a symbiotic relationship. The Mites hitch a ride on the Burying Beetle to be transported to a new food source, since maggots also feed on rotting flesh. This ride hitching is known as Phoresy. The Burying Beetle benefits since the mites eat fly eggs and maggots leaving more rotting flesh for the developing beetle larva. Nice tablecloth.

Letter 13 – Burying Beetle

You have found a Burying Beetle, Nicrophor
us species, which is an extremely interesting beetle. The adults are capable of burying the entire carcass of a small animal, like a mouse, which they dig under until the body falls into the hole. It then is buried and becomes the food source of the larvae after the eggs have been deposited on the corpse. According to Borror, Triplehorn and Johnson in their book An Introduction to the Study of Insects, "These beetles are remarkably strong. A pair may move an animal as large as a rat several feet to get it to a suitable spot for burying." Adults and grubs both feed on carrion. Thank you for sending the images.

Thank you! That was very fast. Seems to be a very useful insect.

08/01/2005) We Stand Corrected
Nicrophorus pictureOn the first beetle page there is a picture dated 9/11/2003 of a Nicrophorus. You have identified it as Nicrophorus american
a. N. americana has a reddish-orange pronotum (the upper part of the body between the head and the elytra. The specimen would also be small for americana if the coin in the upper left hand corner is a nickle (americana would be about twice this size). Brett Ratcliffe at the University of Nebraska might be able to tell you what species of Nicrophorus this is.
Charles Wright
Frankfort, KY

Letter 14 – Burying Beetle

Burying beetle found by lizard carcass
May 16, 2010
Hi Bugman,
I found this guy a few days ago in the mountains of North Carolina, hovering around a lizard that had been slain by our resident cat. After looking through your archives I’m relatively sure he’s a burying beetle. Thought you might be interested in seeing some action shots!
Thanks for maintaining such a fascinating and educational site
Dakota
Black Mountain, North Carolina

Hi Dakota,
Your photos are quite a wonderful documentation of a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Many species look similar, but we believe this may be Nicrophorus carolinus based on photos posted to BugGuide.

burying_beetle_lizard_dakota — Burying Beetle with Dead Lizard

burying_beetle_lizard_dakota_2 — Burying Beetle with Dead Lizard

Letter 15 – Burying Beetle

black bug with orange and blue spots
Location: Jewel Lake B.C.
August 6, 2010 10:39 am
I live in British Columbia and went for a hike to a mountain lake and found this bug on leaf in a field of wild flowers. It is very colorful and the leaf didn’t have any marks of where it may have been eating.
Jan

Hi Jan,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Adults work together to bury small dead animals. They then lay eggs of the rotting corpse and protect it as the larvae develop.

Letter 16 – Burying Beetle

Smelly Beetle ??
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
August 25, 2011 4:53 pm
Hello Bugman!
A co-worker of mine found this beetle in his boot. Never seen one like this before up here. He had a bad smell to him. I caught him in a cup and took him home, then release him on a Sunflower in the yard and took some pictures. I hope my pictures are clear enough to help!
Maybe you can help Identify him for me ? 🙂
Signature: -Kla

Dear Kayla,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. A sexton, a somewhat obsolete profession, was a church custodian who cared for the church grounds, including the cemetery, and who was frequently charged with digging graves. Sexton Beetles bury small dead animals that the beetle larvae feed upon. Sometimes a pair of Burying Beetles will guard a small animal corpse after burying it, guarding it against other carrion feeders and caring for the young in the process. Perhaps the Burying Beetle your co-worker encountered had just finished burying a corpse. You can compare your individual to the species of Burying Beetles that are represented on BugGuide.

Thank you so much Daniel. Its nice to finally know what he is.
thanks again.
Kayla

Letter 17 – Burying Beetle

cool bug
Location: Central Iowa
April 29, 2012 7:24 pm
Hey! My son spotted this ”June-Bug” looking bug on our patio here in Central Iowa. I picked it up & it froze up & played dead. It left a pretty potent stench on my fingers…like manure. Can you help me out on the name? I called it ”April”.
Signature: Melissa & Blaedyn

Hi Melissa & Blaedyn,
You have discovered a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. With the exception of social insects that form an organized colony like Ants, Bees, Wasps and Termites, Burying Beetles exhibit among the greatest parental care in the insect world. A pair of Burying Beetles will work together to locate and bury a small animal carcass, like that of a bird, mouse or other small vertebrate. They then guard the carcass with the eggs and developing larvae and they even feed their brood regurgitated carrion. You may read more about Burying Beetles on BugGuide.

Letter 18 – Burying Beetle

Subject: Big huge bug!!
Location: Outside @ Walgreens
May 17, 2013 4:01 pm
I saw this big ol’ bug outside of Walgreens in Minnesota. I’ve never seen one before! It was huge! Probably a little more than an inch long, and moving pretty slowly. I took a picture with my foot for size comparison but I didn’t want to get too close in case it decided to crawl on me…
Signature: Leslie

Hi Leslie,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, but we cannot say for certain which species it is. Perhaps one of our readers can provide some suggestions. Sexton Beetles often work in pairs to bury small, dead animals. Eggs are laid on the putrifying flesh and the adults help to guard the growing brood. More information on Sexton Beetles as well as photos of many North American species are posted on BugGuide. We actually think this Sexton Beetle would look lovely crawling on your stylish footwear. Because we occasionally get images of insects that contribute to fashion statements, we created a Buggy Accessories tag that we hope our readers find amusing. Though we would have to imagine this Sexton Beetle accessorizing your fashionable running shoes, it isn’t too difficult as our staff has such vivid imaginations, so we are taking the liberty of tagging your post as a Buggy Accessory.

Letter 19 – Burying Beetle

Subject: Burying Beetle SE Alaska
Location: Juneau, AK
September 3, 2013 4:19 pm
Dear Bugman,
I took this photo on the trail on Mt Roberts in Juneau Alaska about 10 days ago. I think its a Burying Beetle, but I wasn’t sure which species. Anyway, thought I’d share it with you–its not the clearest photo but he’s very cute.
Signature: Moira

Dear Moira,
We get so few photos from Alaska. Thanks for submitting your photo of a Burying Beetle.

Letter 20 – Burying Beetle

Subject: Unidentified beetle in MN
Location: Central Minnesota
May 30, 2014 7:34 am
I found this beetle this morning crawling in my entry on cement floors. I live in central MN in the country primarily surrounded by pine forests. I thought it was a burying beetle which are endangered and not usually found in MN, but it does not have an orange head. Thank you for your time!
Signature: Carla

Dear Carla,
You are correct that this is not an American Burying Beetle, but it is another species of Burying Beetle of the genus Nicrophorus.

Thank you for the information! I was able to further look it up and learned some very interesting things about what is living in my yard!
Carla

Letter 21 – Burying Beetle

Subject: Black and Orange Beetle
Location: South Central, PA
July 20, 2014 6:46 pm
I found this beetle in my orchard. He is about the size of a June bug. I have not seen a bug like this before and wonder if my orchard is in danger. I have not been able to find what he is. Even after searching through this site.
Signature: Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, and its presence probably indicates that there is a small, dead animal carcass nearby. Burying Beetles bury small animals like birds, mice, snakes and lizards after laying eggs on the carcass. They will not harm your orchard. You can read more about Burying Beetles on BugGuide.

Letter 22 – Burying Beetle

Subject: Burying beetle in Washington St.
Location: Olympic Peninsula Washington St
September 19, 2014 11:02 am
I found a burying beetle covered with mites. I put it in a jar, not knowing what it is. As far as I can tell, it is not harmful, but it is not native to the Olympic Peninsula. I see it is endangered and the mites are beneficial to forest soils. I guess I will let it go, but I was hoping to touch bases with someone else first. Any advice?
Signature: Colleen

Dear Colleen,
The American Burying Beetle is the endangered species that is not found in your area, however, other members of the genus are local species for you. This may be a Margined Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus marginatus, which is described on BugGuide. We advise you to release it.

Letter 23 – Phoresy: Mites ride on Burying Beetle

whats this?
Bugman,
Thanks for the hard work you put in to your wonderful site! My sweetie and I have been exploring a meadow in central mass -part of an audubon refuge- and have become quite fascinated with the monarch butterflies and their exploding population. Over the past few months we’ve spent a lot of time there and we’ve been working on witnessing every stage of their amazing transformation. I have a terrible attention span, however, and at one point I wandered away from the shiny chrysalis I’d been staring at and got surprised by this bug buzzing around in the tall grass. I managed to snap a few pictures of it before it flew away, but I think this was one of the creepier bug-spectacles I’ve seen yet. Please tell us whether it’s a mom offering her offspring a ride or a swarm of parasitical mites!
Andrew, Arlington Mass.

Hi Andrew,
This is neither. It is a beetle giving a ride to some Mites, a phenomenom known as Phoresy. We often get photos of Mites using Burying Beetles for transportation to a fresh carcass. This looks more like a Flower Scarab Beetle, but we will see if Eric Eaton can provide further insight. Eric quickly wrote back: “Had me fooled for a moment, too, but it IS a burying beetle, specifically Nicrophorus tomentosus, named for the yellow tomentum (fuzz) on its thorax. Eric”

Letter 24 – Burying Beetle with phoretic Mites

is this a burying beetle?
I saw this little guy while hiking near Wilmington, VT, but before i could get close enough for a better shot, he jumped up and flew away. i didn’t even notice the mites on his back until i got home and looked at the picture. is this a burying beetle? are they still endangered? thanks,
Dan

Hi Dan,
Yes, this is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, and the Phoretic Mites are just hitching a ride to a food source, often maggots that are feeding on the decaying carcass the Burying Beetle lays its eggs upon. The mites eat the maggots and leave more food for the beetle larvae. The Burying Beetle and the Phoretic Mites have a symbiotic relationship. We haven’t the time right now to give you an exact species on the Burying Beetle, but it is not the American Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus americanus, the endangered species. The American Burying Beetle is a large beetle with orange markings on the pronotum of the thorax.

Letter 25 – Burying Beetle with Mites: Phoresy

Burying Beetle: babies or parasites?
I found this swimming around in the cat’s water dish one morning in West Tennessee. I forgot to get a photo with a size reference, but it was about an inch long. I believe it might be a burying beetle? Although its markings differ from the other photos on your site. The freaky part, though, was the swarm of little bugs on its back. They were running around, trying to stay dry. I think they might have eight legs; mites, maybe? At any rate, I put the whole shebang outdoors to continue playing out its drama. I love the site. I saw my first cicada killer last summer, and you guys helped me identify it. Thanks!
D

Hi D,
These are neither babies nor parasites. They are Mites, but they are not parasitic on the beetle. The young beetle larvae eat rotting carrion, so anything that shares the same diet becomes a threat to the survival of the next generation of Burying Beetles or Sexton Beetles. Maggots, the immature form of flies, are competitors for this food source. The Mites eat fly eggs and freshly hatched maggots. The Mites do not fly and have no means of getting to their next meal once they have eaten all the maggots on a corpse. The Burying Beetle flies from food source to food source. The Mites are just hitching a ride on the Beetle. This is a mutually advantageous or symbiotic relationship. The Mites get a new food source, and they devour the competitors for the young beetles’ food supply. Burying Beetles carrying large quantities of Mites have a better chance of producing offspring. Phoresy is the proper term for one organism hitching a ride on a more mobile organism. We have seen photos of some Burying Beetles so laden with Mites, it is a wonder they can fly.

Letter 26 – Burying Beetle with a Mouse!!!

Moving a mouse!
I "Stumbled Upon" your Web site and loved it. Nice job. And now, two days later I have a bug to identify. We delayed cleaning up a mouse carcass our cat left on the back porch this morning, and this evening we saw it MOVING! Then we saw this bug crawling over the carcass, under it, all around it, and occasionally dragging it. I managed to get a video with my digital camera because I knew that tomorrow I wasn’t going to believe it. One photo shows better detail, but is over-exposed. The color is more accurate on the second shot, which shows the mouse (well, it’s not a whole mouse; remember the cat had dibs) as well. The last I looked, the bug and its lunch were over the side of the porch onto the ground, where it’s going to be harder to make headway. There are also a few harvestmen and a couple of other beetles vying for morsels, as well. So what is this muscular little carrion eater?
Many thanks,
David Thomson
Versailles, Kentucky

Hi David,
What a treat, seeing a Burying Beetle, genus Nicrophorus, in action. Often the beetles work in pairs to bury a small rodent or bird. Once buried, the female lays eggs and the carrion provides food for the larvae. Your photos are an awesome addition to our site.

Letter 27 – Burying Beetle from England

What type of bug is this?
Photographed in my Garden in Dorset England UK. It spent the night in a wheel borrow full of water. We put it onto a log to dry off. I took the photo on a stone, I was about to take another as it opened its wings and flew away. An idea what it could be?
Regards
Terry O’Donovan
Dorset, England

Hi Terry,
While our species are different from your species, I can assure you that this is a Burying Beetle, from the Family Silphidae, and probably the Genus Nicrophorus. These beetles are very strong and will bury a small mouse or bird after laying eggs on the future food source for the larvae.

Letter 28 – Burying or Carrion Beetles

Here is the picture of the beetles we need to ID…
Not sure is this is a male female pair as they look a little different.
Thank you…and a big thank you for the web site you sent we are enjoying it.
Jeffrey & Margaret

Dear Jeffrey and Margaret,
You have a species of Carrion or Burying Beetle, Family Silphidae. According to the Dillons, they are “Usually large, loosely constructed beetles, that have the body black, sometimes ornamented with yellow or red. … Decaying animal matter, especially dead birds, mice, and snakes, is the usual habitat of these species, though some occur on decaying fungi. The eggs are deposited in the bodies of small mammals or fragments of decaying flesh, which are then buried by the adults to a depth of from several inches to a foot. Two beetles working together can bury a mouse or other small animal very rapidly.” Eric writes to us that: “The burying or carrion beetles are Necrodes surinamensis, male on left with the enlaged hind legs, female on the right.”

Letter 29 – Burying Beetles Bury a Snake

Burying beetles score a snake!
Thanks, again, you guys. I was stalking a zebra longwing when something big and slightly clumsy flew by and landed in the grass a few feet away. Since it was maybe 2″ long and went busily to work on the ground, I went over to see what the commotion was all about. These two burying beetles were busy pulling the tail end of this snake into a hole they were digging in the ground. Big chunks of the snake had been chewed away. (I don’t know what kind of snake this is; at less than 12″ long, it’s probably a youngster.) After ID-ing the beetle on your site, I thought you might like to see these.
Diane in Florida

Hi Diane,
Thanks for the wonderful images. We believe that this is Nicrophorus carolinus, based on a BugGuide posting.

Letter 30 – Sexton Beetle

Hello bugman
My son found this bug in our front yard.
We live in central Illinois What is it? Thanks
KH

Hi KH,
This is one of the Sexton Beetles, the Tomentose Burying Beetles. Sexton Beetles often work in pairs to bury small dead animals like birds or mice. They lay eggs on the corpse and the rotting flesh provides food for the larvae. We just posted an image of a group of Tomentose Burying Beetles on the carcass of a mouse.

Letter 31 – Sexton Beetles bury Mouse

WTB??
My daughter nearly stepped on these while walking her dog through a recently mowed field. I have scrolled through your bug links until I am dizzy and cross-eyed. Can you tell me what they are? They seemed to be feeding on a small dead rodent, possibly killed during the mowing. (Notice the hitch-hiker flies.) Thanks.
Vicki
South-central Missouri

Hi Vicki,
These are Sexton Beetles or Burying Beetles. They will bury the mouse and lay eggs on it. It just seems odd that there are so many at work as they generally work as a couple. We believe these are Tomentose Burying Beetles, Nicrophorus tomentosus.

Letter 32 – Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetle from England

English Beetle in Cumbria
Tue, May 26, 2009 at 12:49 AM
Hello Bug Expert,
We found this beetle on a fell top here in Cumbria (the English Lake District) on a summers day. There were two of these in a small field vole corpse and when disturbed they made a peculiar hissing noise that seems to emanate from their wings? They are quick burrowers and quite hard to photograph very well. Can you identify it please?
Stephen Lainson
Great Stickle, Cumbria, English Lake District

Dear Stephen,
This is a Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetle. It is probably in the genus Nicrophorus like similar beetles in North America. We haven’t the time right now to try to identify the exact species. The pair were burying the vole corpse where they will lay their eggs. A pair of Burying Beetles can bury a small corpse in a very short period of time.

Letter 33 – Sexton Beetle

Black beetle with large orange spots
October 9, 2009
Date: 8Oct09
Found beetle wandering around the lawn near cedar trees on damp dreary day. Took pictures and when sun warmed the bug, he flew away. Pictures show bug held by pine needle and with one wing unfolding.
Size: 2 cm long
Peter
46° 12.496’N; 79° 29.539’W

Hi Peter,
This is a Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, possibly Nicrophorus orbicollis. Sexton Beetles are sometimes called Burying Beetles.

Letter 34 – Sexton Beetle

Who is this death muncher?
October 24, 2009
I’ve seen these guys a couple of times, the first time I ever saw them was among other bugs voraciously consuming a mole corpse who’s death had been basking in the summer heat for at least two days. They were the dominant insect in and on that corpse. His thorax reminds me Roman muscle armor… What is this odd little guy?
Eric, The Wild Man
willamette valley, along the columbia river. Oregon

Hi Eric,
This is one of the Burying Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus that are known as Sexton Beetles. We expect it is the highly variable Nicrophorus defodiens. BugGuide has a nice array of images with some individuals possessing bold spotting, and others with subtle spotting like your specimen. Burying Beetles often work in pairs, burying small dead creatures, laying eggs on the carcass.

Letter 35 – Sexton Beetle Larvae

larvae on dead mole
October 29, 2009
These larvae were found on a dead mole that had been under a wheelbarrow about a month (October 4-October 27, 2009 in rural Central Missouri). I have a group of children who routinely explore the woods in this area and when we find a dead creature we place it under the wheelbarrow to watch the decay process. We have not encountered these worm like creatures before.
Millersburg Preschool
Rural Central Missouri

Dear Millersburg Preschool,
Though we write about them often, this is the first photo we have ever received of the larvae of a Sexton Beetle, one of the Burying Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus. We found a photo on BugGuide of the larvae of the endangered American Burying Beetle that is very close to your image. We cannot say for certain exactly what species in the genus Nicrophorus your larvae will become, but we are somewhat certain they are not the rare American Burying Beetle. A pair of Sexton Beetles will work burying the corpse of a small rodent or bird and then lay eggs. The adults often stay with the developing larvae and care for them.

Thank you for your quick response! The children will be so excited to know this!

Letter 36 – Sexton Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites

COVERED IN OTHER BUGS OR SPIDERS!!!!
November 18, 2009
Found this bug outside my house this summer(sept23) in schreiber, ontario canada. I also have video i am willing to send ( you can see the small bugs/spiders moving around). Is this the bugs babies or are they killing it?!?!
Monica
Northern ontario

Hi Monica,
The beetle is a Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetles. The hitchhikers are Phoretic Mites. Amazingly, this is a mutually advantageous situation. Sexton Beetles bury small dead animals and lay eggs on the corpses and the beetle larvae feed on the putrefying meat. Rotting flesh also attracts flies that lay eggs that hatch into maggots that compete with the beetle larvae for food. The Mites hitch a ride on the beetle, since mites cannot fly, an act known as phoresy. The mites eat the maggots, ensuring there will be more food for the beetle larvae. We have seen images of Sexton Beetles covered in so many Phoretic Mites that it seemed impossible that they could fly.

Letter 37 – Burying Beetle with Mites

Subject: Burying Beetle
Location: Inland Northwest
May 26, 2013 2:33 pm
We found this character in our backyard in a bird feed dish that was on the ground and had pools of water in it with some mushy plant material that had fallen in as well. It was near a dead bloated worm and had all of these little guys crawling all over it. We weren’t sure if it was a parental or parasitic situation so I dumped the whole lot in a tuft of grass and put the dish up. Later a friend told us that burying beetles often carry swarms of mites on their bodies to help keep them clean of microbes and fly eggs.
Signature: Dave

Dear Dave,
This is in fact a Burying Beetle and the information you received is correct. The Mites are phoretic and they do not harm the beetle. They use the beetle for transportation and it is believed that the mites feed on maggots and fly eggs that would compete with the larval beetles for precious food of rotting flesh on the small dead animals the adult Burying Beetles locate and bury for their offspring. We will be postdating this submission to go live next week during our absence from the office.

Letter 38 – Burying Beetle with Phoretic Mites

Subject: She’s carrying her babies on her back!
Location: Mt. Hood, OR
August 22, 2014 9:35 pm
Dear Bugman,
This bug flew into my house tonight. I thought it was a bumble bee at first because it’s about the same size as one and it also has black and yellow markings, When I caught it to let it outside I noticed it was covered in little bugs. I took pictures thinking you might want some. They may not have turned out very well though…
Is it some kind of beetle?
Signature: D

I figured out it’s a burying beetle and those are mites. Thank you for you’re time.

Dear D,
Sorry about the delay, but we have been playing tour guide to out of town visitors for the past two days. You are correct that this is a Burying Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites. Your initial guess was understandable as some arthropods carry around young on their backs, including Scorpions and Wolf Spiders, but very few insects utilize that means of protecting young. One rarity is the habit of some Giant Water Bugs to have the female cement the eggs to the back of the male Giant Water Bug to protect, but only until the eggs hatch.

Letter 39 – Burying Beetle from France

Subject: glischrochilus?
Location: South East France, Drome
November 9, 2014 2:52 am
We found this bug in our garden, in South of France, Valance. We looked at the insect books but were unable to identify it. It is too big to be a glischrochilus. It is two centimeters long.
Signature: Aimee

Hello Aimee,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. A common European species is Nicrophorus vespillo which is pictured on TrekNature. The search out small dead animals like birds, mice or snakes, and then bury them after laying eggs. The developing larvae feed on the putrefying flesh.

Letter 40 – Sexton Beetle

Subject: Unknown beetle
Location: Baker Lake, WA
June 28, 2015 5:28 pm
Hello- I found this beetle on dung on the Baker Lake Trail that runs along the eastern edge of Baker Lake in Washington State. Is this a burying beetle?
Signature: AJ Knue

Dear AJ,
You are correct that this is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, and we believe based on both its appearance and range, that this Nicrophorus defodiens that is pictured on BugGuide is a likely species identification.

Letter 41 – Sexton Beetle from Canada

Subject: My dog stayed far away!
Location: Whitehorse Yukon Canada
August 10, 2015 10:58 am
Hi there bugman. What the heck is this bug? He came crawling onto the deck of our cabin at around midnight. My dog saw it and pounced but then quickly spit it out and started salivating all over the place. She did not like the taste I guess…lucky for the beetle!
We are in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada. It was mild weather out and had just turned dark when this little trooper made his appearance.
Any info would be great. Thanks!
Signature: Almost Beetlejuice

Dear Almost Beetlejuice,
This is a Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Their common name is derived from the manner in which they provide for their young. Males and females work together to bury small dead animals, and then they stay close to guard their larvae while they feed on both the putrefying flesh. According to BugGuide, they exhibit “Remarkable parental care: adults bury a small carcass, lay eggs in it, and stay to feed the young on regurgitated carrion.” One possible species is Nicrophorus defodiens which according to BugGuide is found in the northern portions of the Pacific Northwest.

Update: August 21, 2015
While researching a different genus of Carrion Beetle, we found this statement on BugGuide: “Has chemical defenses, and smells foul, like all carrion beetles and their larvae.” That probably explains your dog’s reaction.

Letter 42 – Roundneck Sexton Beetle, we believe

Subject: Kezar Lake found bug
Location: New Hampshire
June 29, 2016 7:07 am
Found this bug late last night in our summer house, what is this bug? Is it a Burying Beatle?
Signature: Keazer lake found bug

We needed to double check the spelling of Kezar Lake as you have submitted two different spellings. You are correct that this is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, and we don’t always feel comfortable attempting a species identification. We believe your individual is a Roundneck Sexton Beetle, Nicrophorus orbicollis, based on images and this description from BugGuide: “The orange clubbed antennae along with the more circular posterior spots make this one fairly easy to ID (G.A. Hanley, 8/9/2008). Long elytral setae are characteristic, and usually diagnostic, for this species, but they are sometimes worn away.”

Letter 43 – Burying Beetle (with phoretic mites) from Scotland

Subject: Strange Red Wasp-like Bug
Location: Scotland
August 2, 2017 3:34 am
My mom found this bug flying and buzzing around our kitchen last night, it kept trying to run into our ceiling light, I thought it was some kind of wasp or hornet but I haven’t found anything resembling it on the internet. It’s the first time either of us have seen a creature like this so maybe it’s some sort of migrating species? Any info is greatly appreciated, thanks!! 🙂
Signature: Claire

Dear Claire,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, probably the Common Sexton Beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides, which is pictured on NatureSpot UK, and it is covered with Phoretic or hitch-hiking Mites. According to NatureSpot UK: “These beetles perform an important service in getting rid of carrion (dead small animals and birds). Males and females cooperate to bury this matter, by digging beneath the bodies to provide a food supply for their larvae.” A more poetic version is available on BugLife where it states: ” Love at first corpse! Males and females first meet at corpses of dead and decaying animals such as mice and small birds. When love has struck males and females pair up and fight off any rival couples trying to take charge of the corpse. Once a pair has won the corpse they dig a hole beneath it and bury it, this is where they get their name from.”

Letter 44 – Sexton Beetle

Subject: Beetle
Geographic location of the bug: California
Date: 04/28/2018
Time: 03:00 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Could you identify this bug for me please
How you want your letter signed: Catie

Dear Catie,
This is a Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Burying Beetles get their common name because adults will bury small animals including mice, birds and lizards after laying eggs upon the corpse. According to BugGuide: “Remarkable parental care: adults bury a small carcass, lay eggs in it, and stay to feed the young on regurgitated carrion.”

Wow! Way cool beetle!!! Very interesting! I had never seen one before!
Thank you for answering.
Sincerely
Catie Lambie

Letter 45 – Sexton Beetle

Subject: Orange and Black beetle
Geographic location of the bug: Alameda Creek Trail, Union City, California
Date: 07/08/2018
Time: 02:40 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Hi, Bugman.
Found this beetle clinging to a dried out bush. Went to photograph the insect and it fell to the ground and laid on its back. With a small twig, I turned it over several times, but the beetle insisted to roll on its back and play dead. What is this bug?
How you want your letter signed: John

Dear John,
This is a Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Sexton Beetles locate small dead animals, including mice, voles, birds, lizards and many others, and they bury them after laying eggs. They sometimes guard the eggs and care for the young that feed on both the putrifying flesh and the other insects attracted to rotting flesh, including maggots. Because of the red tips on the antennae and your location, our best species guess is the Yellow Bellied Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus guttala, which is pictured on BugGuide.

Daniel,

Before your reply, I had done some research on my own and found what I thought was a Burying Beetle.

Do you know if it is Necrophorus Americanus? Wikipedia lists them as Critically Endangered.

Thanks for the ID, Daniel.

~ John

Hi again John,
This is NOT the highly endangered American Burying Beetle which can be identified by its orange or red thorax. See BugGuide for additional information on the American Burying Beetle. Your individual is a member of the same genus, but it is not endangered.

Letter 46 – Sexton Beetle from UK

Subject: Beetle
Geographic location of the bug: Wolverhampton England
Date: 07/11/2019
Time: 08:34 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman : Saw this today in my garden, about 1 1/2 inches long, poor flyer.Thick short anennae, large plate at rear of head.
How you want your letter signed: S.J.Harris

Dear S.J. Harris,
This is a Sexton Beetle or Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, possibly Nicrophorus interruptus which is pictured on UK Beetles where it states: “Nicrophorus species are unusual among beetles as they display biparental care of the larvae. They feed and breed on carrion and some species will breed communally on carrion too large to bury. Most species breed at small carcases of rodents and birds. Usually being attracted by the smell, a carcass will attract many individuals and the beetles will fight; males with males and females likewise, for the right to bury and breed on the food source. If a single male arrives at carrion it will wait for a partner to arrive; they attract females by releasing a pheromone from the tip of the abdomen. Females can bury a carcass and raise larvae alone from sperm stored from previous matings. The pair digs a depression beneath the carcass by pushing soil forward with their heads, if the soil is too hard they will move the carcass a short distance to more suitable substrate. Before burying the carcass they remove the fur or feathers and smear it with bactericide and fungicide to slow the decay and make it less attractive to other beetles and flies etc. Before burial the carcass is rolled into a ball. The removed fur etc. is used to line and reinforce the burial chamber, and the complete process of burial may take eight hours. Eggs are laid in the soil and the newly hatched larvae move onto the carcass. Adults feed on the carrion and regurgitate liquid food in response to begging behaviour from the larvae, this is thought to speed larval development and also to help preserve the food. If there are too many larvae the adults will selectively cull them at an early age. Adults protect and provision the larvae throughout their lives, eliminating competition from dipteral larvae etc. Full grown larvae move into the soil to pupate.”

Letter 47 – Sexton Beetle with Phoretic Mites

Subject: Burying Beetle (?) COVERED with phoretic mites
Geographic location of the bug: Tonasket WA
Date: 07/24/2019
Time: 11:10 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Poor thing couldn’t fly or retract it’s wings, but it was moving really fast and furious on the ground in the driveway. Surprised my camera picked stuff up as good as it did. I put it next to my flower beds and it must have wanted cover, because it headed straight for the jungle. The belly was completely covered also.
How you want your letter signed: Cathy

Dear Cathy,
Thanks so much for sending in your excellent image of a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites. It is our understanding that the Phoretic Mites do not harm the Sexton Beetle, though it might have trouble flying. The Phoretic Mites are opportunistic, and they use the Sexton Beetle to travel to new sites where they can find a food supply.

Letter 48 – Sexton Beetle

Subject: Beetle ID
Geographic location of the bug: Lake county, Ohio
Date: 07/25/2019
Time: 09:03 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Hello! My young explorer found this mystery beetle and we would love to know more about it. Thank you for your help!
How you want your letter signed: Natalie

Dear Natalie,
This is a Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Your individual has very few red spots, so it was easy to identify as Nicrophorus pustulatus on BugGuide. According to BugGuide: “Reported to be a brood parasite of other Nicrophorus. Also reported to parasitize the eggs of Black Rat Snakes, Elaphe obsoleta (Blouin-Demers & Weatherhead 2000, Trumbo 2009). The beetle larvae destroy the snake eggs, thus, the beetle would qualify as a parasitoid of the snake, a relationship usually seen only among invertebrates. In the wild, N. pustulatus is not known to exhibit the usual carcass-burying behavior of other members of its genus, though it will display some of this behavior in captivity. There is suspicion, too, that it may parasitize eggs of other reptiles, and, perhaps, birds (Trumbo 2009).”

The post American Burying Beetle: Quick Facts for Curious Minds appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Araneus Orb Weaver: Essential Facts and Tips for Enthusiasts

Araneus Orb Weaver Identification

Physical Characteristics

Size

Coloration

Sexual Dimorphism

Classification and Species

Taxonomy

Common Araneus Species

Synonyms and Other Common Names

Distribution and Habitat

Geographical Range

Preferred Environment

Webs and Behavior

Web Construction

Feeding Habits

Reproduction and Egg-laying

Human-Orb Weaver Interaction

Venom and Bites

Natural Pest Control

Additional Remarks

Footnotes

Letter 1 – Another Araneas Orb Weaver

Letter 2 – Araneas Orb Weaver

Letter 3 – Araneus cingulatus

Letter 4 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Letter 5 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Letter 6 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Letter 7 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Letter 8 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Letter 9 – Araneus Orb Weaver

Letter 10 – Araneus species

Letter 11 – Araneus species

Letter 12 – Barn Spider, Araneas cavaticus

Letter 13 – Orb Weaver: Araneus cingulatus

Appalachian Brown: All You Need to Know for Your Next Adventure

Appalachian Brown Overview

History and Origin

Geographical Distribution

Appalachian Brown Features

Physical Characteristics

Behavior and Lifestyle

The Appalachian Trail

Hiking the Trail

Tips and Planning

Appalachian Culture and Tradition

Foodways and Southern Cooking

Social and Family Life

The Natural Environment

Flora and Fauna

Conservation and Research

Footnotes

Letter 1 – Appalacian Brown

Letter 2 – Appalacian Brown

Tuesday, 27 June 2023

American Burying Beetle: Quick Facts for Curious Minds

American Burying Beetle: An Overview

Physical Characteristics and Size

Habitat and Distribution

Diet and Feeding

Reproduction and Parenting

Mating and Egg Laying

Parental Care

Larvae

Conservation Status and Efforts

Endangered Species Act

Causes of Decline

Current Conservation Measures

Role in Ecosystem and Impacts

Scavengers and Carrion Ecosystems

Relation to Other Animals

Future Challenges

Geographic Spread

United States Distribution

Canadian Presence

Current Research and Monitoring

Laboratory Studies

Breeding Population Monitoring

Footnotes