Search results
Learn about carrion beetles, insects that feed on dead and decaying animals and play a role in decomposition. Find out how they bury carcasses, have bright colors, and belong to the family Silphidae.
The American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana, formerly Silpha americana) is a North American beetle of the family Silphidae. It lays its eggs in, and its larvae consume, raw flesh (particularly that of dead animals) and fungi.
Silphidae is a family of beetles that are known commonly as large carrion beetles, carrion beetles or burying beetles. There are two subfamilies: Silphinae and Nicrophorinae. Members of Nicrophorinae are sometimes known as burying beetles or sexton beetles. The number of species is relatively small, at around two hundred.
Jun 22, 2021 · Carrion beetles breed in the dead carcass of a mouse or a bird and reduce it to bones and skin in a few days. They also produce antimicrobial substances that affect the soil microbes and nutrient cycling around the carcass.
Nov 29, 2011 · Learn about the carrion beetles, also known as burying beetles, that feed on maggots and carcasses. Discover their appearance, life cycle, and remarkable behavior of burying dead animals.
Ashleigh Whiffin from the National Silphidae Recording Scheme discusses why carrion beetles are so important, and eight species to look out for.
Dec 16, 2020 · American carrion beetle of the carrion beetle family inhabits different parts of North America, having a wide range there right from the Rocky Mountains to Texas, Florida, Minnesota, and Canada’s southeastern belt.
