HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Giving Tuesday

Do you use BugGuide? Please consider a monetary gift on this Giving Tuesday.

Donate Now

Your donation to BugGuide is tax-deductible.

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Previous events

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Staphyliniformia » Staphylinoidea » Rove Beetles (Staphylinidae) » Carrion Beetles (Silphinae) » Sexton Beetles (Nicrophorus) » Banded Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus investigator)

Species Nicrophorus investigator - Banded Sexton Beetle

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · See Also · Internet References · Works Cited

Burying beetle, Necrophoris - Nicrophorus investigator

Sexton Beetle - Nicrophorus investigator

Banded Sexton Beetle - Nicrophorus investigator

lg black and red beetle - Nicrophorus investigator

Carrion Beetle (Nicrophorus) - Nicrophorus investigator

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Staphyliniformia)

Superfamily Staphylinoidea

Family Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles)

Subfamily Silphinae (Carrion Beetles)

Genus Nicrophorus (Sexton Beetles)

Species investigator (Banded Sexton Beetle)

Explanation of Names

Nicrophorus investigator Zetterstedt 1824

investigator 'searcher' (refers to carrion-hunting habits)(1)

Size

15-25 mm

Identification

elytral epipleura wide and usually entirely orange/red but occasionally a prebasal black spot extends down from basal black band; posterior elytral spot reaches epipleuron; stout setae on humeral area end well before base of epipleural ridge; dorsal ridge of epipleuron curved down at posterior end; no bald patch on metasternum behind mesocoxae; hind tibiae straight

Range

Holarctic, transcontinental in both NA (the northern half & along the Rocky Mts to NM-AZ) and Eurasia(2)

Habitat

boreal forest, aspen woodlands, prairies and meadows

Season

May-Oct(2)

See Also

N. sayi: hind tibiae curved, posterior elytral spot does not reach epipleuron

N. hybridus: stout setae on humeral area extend to base of epipleural ridge; not found east of Ontario

Internet References

Species page(1)

Works Cited

1.	University of Alberta Entomology Collection

2.	The Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) of Nebraska Brett Ratcliffe. 1996. University of Nebraska State Museum.

Contributed by Guy A. Hanley on 28 September, 2007 - 2:08pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, v belov
Last updated 13 March, 2014 - 4:24pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version