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Photo#2074273
Thanatophilus lapponicus at duck carcass - Thanatophilus lapponicus

Thanatophilus lapponicus at duck carcass - Thanatophilus lapponicus
Sevenmile Creek, 8 km NW of Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
September 16, 2021
Size: 15 mm
Found under intestines of recent duck carcass near pond. Afternoon, partly sunny, moderate to fresh west breeze, good air quality, 60 F. Stream floodplain restored in 2018 and dominated by introduced grasses, with few shrubs and a series of small ponds ringed by emergent vegetation.

Elevation ca 4000 feet. Disturbed riparian corridor on stream restoration site within a patchwork of native and non-native grassland.

This seems to be a rather visually distinctive species; in particular, the combination of pubescent pronotum and elytra with ridges and tubercles seems to rule out other similar silphids. Keyed to species in Anderson & Peck 1985.

Images of this individual: tag all
Thanatophilus lapponicus at duck carcass - Thanatophilus lapponicus Thanatophilus lapponicus at duck carcass - Thanatophilus lapponicus