American Burying Beetle

Nicrophorus americanus, also known as the American burying beetle or giant carrion beetle, is a critically endangered species of beetle endemic to North America. It belongs to the order Coleoptera and the family Silphidae. The carrion beetle in North America is carnivorous, feeds on carrion and requires carrion to breed. It is also a member of one of the few genera of beetle to exhibit parental care. The decline of the American burying beetle has been attributed to habitat loss, alteration, and degradation, and they now occur in less than 10% of their historic range. Scientific Name: Nicrophorus americanus Range: Formerly across eastern N. America; now relict populations Size: 25–45 mm — largest carrion beetle in N. America Status: Endangered ID Notes: Shiny black with four orange-red patches on elytra and an orange pronotum. Orange face mark. Behavior / Notes: Pair buries small vertebrate carcasses, regulates microbial growth, and feeds larvae — elaborate biparental care. Federally listed as threatened.