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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Rove, Carrion and Fungus Beetles (Staphylinoidea) » Carrion Beetles (Silphidae) » Sexton Beetles (Nicrophorus)

Genus Nicrophorus - Sexton Beetles

Classification · Other Common Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Habitat · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Sexton Beetle - Nicrophorus orbicollis Mites in flight on Nicrophorus orbicollis - Nicrophorus orbicollis Burying Beetle - Nicrophorus carolinus Nicrophorus carolinus Sexton beetle - Nicrophorus carolinus carrion beetle - Nicrophorus sayi Burying Beetle - Nicrophorus guttula Larvae - Nicrophorus americanus - male - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Staphylinoidea (Rove, Carrion and Fungus Beetles)
Family Silphidae (Carrion Beetles)
Genus Nicrophorus (Sexton Beetles)
Other Common Names
Burying Beetles
Numbers
Nearctica.com lists 16 species for North America
Size
16-35 mm
Identification
Large, dark beetles with orange patterns. Attracted to carrion
Habitat
Variety of habitats where carrion is present
Life Cycle
Remarkable parental care of larvae. Adults bury a small (usually) carcass, lay eggs in it, and stay with it, feeding the young on regurgitated carrion. (Yumm!)
Remarks
Guide TBA--PC.
Print References
Dillon (1)
Papp (2)
Arnett (3)

Anderson, R. S. and Peck, S. B., 1985. The insects and arachnids of Canada and Alaska, part
13. The carrion beetles of Canada and Alaska. Coleoptera: Silphidae and Agyrtidae.
Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Publication 1778. 121 pp.
Internet References
Carrion Beetles of Nebraska
Insects of Cedar Creek--photos of several species
Insects of Northeastern Iowa--Silphidae, several photos of Nicrophorus specimens
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection--lists seven species from that state: americanus (18), carolinus (7), marginatus (22), orbicullis (40), pustulatus (27), tomentotus (171). N. americanus is endangered, and may not be found in the state any longer.
Checklist of California Silphidae
Works Cited
1.A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
By Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence
2.Introduction to North American Beetles
By Charles S. Papp
3.How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques
Contributed by Cotinis on 18 July, 2004 - 7:29am
Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian
Last updated 21 June, 2005 - 11:38am

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