Red and Black Beetle - Nicrophorus sayi

Finally I've found what they are!

I saw these beetles on a tree in a park in Glen Allen, Virginia recently. They've built a big earthen mound on the trunk of a large tree. The photo here is the only one that resembles them.

In the park there are stables/pastures with donkeys, sheep, and cows (not sure if this info is relevant.)

I have photos of the mound here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WdfKevcOnrYX2aZ0TlRmnBcvhDeUisDo?usp=sharing

… Khoi Ngoc Tran, 27 July, 2020 - 5:05pm

Red and Black carrion beetle

Same story here just saw my first of these critters. I live in western Montana, it is September 21 sunny and 75 degrees.

… Brad M, 21 September, 2014 - 12:17pm

My puppy didn't like the taste ...

My puppy chomped on a small version of this (~ 1/2" or 12mm in length) before I realized what he was after. It was on our gravel driveway, mid-day, after some rain.

I pulled him away as soon as I saw what he was up to. He apparently didn't like the taste, because he made odd spitting sounds for a minute or more afterwards. (I hope it isn't harmful in any way.) Unfortunately, the insect did not survive the brief encounter.

Thanks for the informative website!

… mperret, 7 August, 2013 - 4:10pm

They are in my house

I've killed about 40 of these in 2 days in my house. It started all of a sudden 2 days ago. they are about 2 inches long and fly. They are most active at night time. The ones in my home have 4 spots on their back side and 2 on its side. How do I get rid of these thing?

… philip, 16 July, 2011 - 1:00pm

New 1 for me to...

Have never seen this before until the other night. HOWEVER, at first it appeared to have no wings and then it had long wings all of a sudden... I took a photo of it with & without its wings... too strange lol

… David Arthur, 16 May, 2011 - 7:41am

sighting

I live in Western New Mexico and never saw this insect until tonight. He was just walking across my front step. So unusual I just had to bring put him in a jar and bring him in for a better look.

… cowgirl12, 13 July, 2011 - 10:47pm

yeah i live in eden, new york

yeah i live in eden, new york and i keep finding these beetles on my bathroom carpet only in the morning i to thought they where wasp's untill i relized they had no wings. i found one just a little bit ago i thought it was dead i went to pick it up with toilet paper and it started to run away

… NyDonn, 9 July, 2010 - 9:20am

I just saw this beetle outsi

I just saw this beetle outside on the rug we have for our front porch. Like many other comments that have been made it played dead till my son bumbed it with a stick. We live in Twin Falls Idaho is this a common place for them to live?

… tinsan, 7 May, 2010 - 6:19pm

Beetle

I live on The Isle Of Lewis, Scotland. I found one of these beetles in my garage. I thought it was a wasp at first. Never seen one of these beetles before. Released it in the garden.

… EmmaMacrae, 16 August, 2009 - 4:58pm

Also in Ireland

One of these flew into my utility room this evening. Co Armagh. N.Ireland. Like you I never seen one before and also released it into the garden. Are they common in the UK or is it a new arrival?

… Gavin Boyd, 11 September, 2009 - 6:20pm

beetle

i got these beatles in my house flyin all the time last year about 30 ..... i opened my vents under my house a few days ago and last night i got one flying ...... im not scared of too many insects but this one does.... i wish they just leave me alone

… Newfie, 20 May, 2009 - 5:54pm

Wonder if it shares any genes

Wonder if it shares any genes with the red back spider:p

… Zoran, 4 April, 2009 - 11:10pm

Found in Fridley, MN

I am wondering if this is the house we found in our house today. It seemed very aggressive first it flew at me and landed in my hair and then my S.O. grabbed it with a paper towel and put it outside, when he opened the paper towel to let it go it chased him and almost got back into the house... Are they normally seen in Minnesota and is this typical behavior?

… shady1967, 14 September, 2008 - 10:16am

Red and Black Beetle

I live in Scotland and one these flew into my house. I have never seen any thing like this before in the area that i live in. Is it rare to find one of these in this county?

… benstar55, 21 September, 2007 - 11:50am

Carrion (Red & Black) Beetle - Dennyloanhead, Scotland

I have just caught one of these little buggers flying around my kitchen. It makes quite a loud noise for a beetle.

Released back into the wild, unharmed BTW.

Pics....

http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss123/haggisbreeder/?action=view¤t=DSC00130.jpg

http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss123/haggisbreeder/?action=view¤t=DSC00131.jpg

http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss123/haggisbreeder/?action=view¤t=DSC00132.jpg

Let me know if you have any other info on this one or if I've got the wrong ID.

… haggisbreeder, 27 July, 2009 - 8:35pm

I just caught one. I live in

I just caught one. I live in West Lothian, Scotland. I thought it was a huge weird looking wasp when I seen it fly past. It has mites crawling all over it.

… Kevin Morrison, 31 July, 2008 - 5:11am

I live in Clackmannanshire an

I live in Clackmannanshire and found 1 of these this afternoon in a bowl of water in my garden.Never seen anything like it.It was making a wierd noise and was covered in mites/mini spiders? 31/07/08

… dottynes, 31 July, 2008 - 11:06am

This bug is spreaded to all o

This bug is spreaded to all over the world....

and its laying eggs to dead animals.

and the orange "spiders" are parasites.

so dont touch it , you never dont know what disease its carrying when it eats and lays eggs on rotten animal

… Hoki, 13 August, 2008 - 3:25pm

Red and Black Beetle

I found this beetle on the asphalt, near dying alders and cottonwood trees in Southcentral Alaska at 9:30 in the evening - still light out and about 56 degrees. It looked dead, but clung to a piece of weed when I put it down and became more active when brought into the house in a glass. I've never seen anything like this beetle here in 56 years.

… Nanette Arneson, 24 August, 2007 - 1:16am

Same Experience

My son found this beetle on our second story balcony at about 6 PM on the Kenai Peninsula. When he caught it, it played "dead" for a few minutes, then became more active when brought inside. I am curious about why it would make its way to our second story. (No carion there).

… dawnes, 20 August, 2009 - 9:44pm

Silphidae: Nicrophorus sayi

The curved metatibiae helps in placing this species.

… Donald S. Chandler, 7 May, 2006 - 6:49pm

Nicrophorus

A Sexton beetle, genus Nicrophorus.
Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

… Cotinis, 7 May, 2006 - 1:44pm