
	Description
	The pronotum is yellow with a single squarish black spot near the center. The spot is usually well separated from the margin at the base of the pronotum. In the northern states and Canada the elytra have a yellow tip.

	Size
	½″ to ¾″ long

	Similar Species
	Margined carrion beetle (Oiceoptoma noveboracense) is smaller. The pronotum is orange. The black spot on the pronotum is cross-shaped and touches the margin at the base of the pronotum. Ridged carrion beetle (Oiceoptoma inaequale) pronotum is entirely black.


	Habitat
	Moist woods


	Biology
	Season
	March to September

	Behavior


	Life Cycle
	The female lays eggs directly on or in a blown carcas of an animal rat sized or larger. Adults overwinter in the ground.

	Larva Food
	Animal carrion, fly maggots, and beetle larvae

	Adult Food
	Fly larvae and carrion


	Taxonomy
	Order	Coleoptera (beetles)
	Suborder	Polyphaga (water, rove, scarab, long-horned, leaf, and snout beetles)
	Infraorder	Staphyliniformia
	Superfamily	Staphylinoidea (rove, ant-like stone, and carrion beetles)
	Family	Silphidae (burying and carrion beetles)
	Subfamily	Silphinae
	Genus	Necrophila

	American carrion beetle was formerly classified Silpha americana. This and all other North American silphid beetles, formerly in the genus Silpha, have been transferred to the subfamilies Nicrophorinae and Silphinae.

	Synonyms
	Silpha americana

	Common Names
	American carrion beetle crusader carrion beetle

Glossary

Elytra

The hardened or leathery forewings of beetles used to protect the fragile hindwings, which are used for flying. Singular: elytron.

Pronotum

The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.


	Visitor Photos

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	Babette Kis

	Necrophila americana - American Carrion Beetle Necrophila americana - American Carrion Beetle, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI, photo taken May 25, 2019.


	Jacqueline Jorgensen






	Maggie Lindberg

	It was crawling on our back yard patio.



	Luciearl




	Bill Reynolds

	Here we have the American Carrion Beetle. I spotting it flying and shot a stream of water at it from the garden hose, knocking it to the ground. One of the shots is of the beetle resetting it's wings, I'm guessing, for it didn't take off while I took a few images.





	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
	Adult




	Larva

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	Slideshows


	American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana) Andree Reno Sanborn




	Silpha americana (American Carrion Beetle) Allen Chartier

slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Other Videos


	Carrion Beetle (Silphidae: Necrophila americana) on Tree Trunk Carl Barrentine

	About Published on Jun 13, 2012 Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (12 June 2012).



	Immature Necrophila Americana pascalnet

	About Published on Jul 9, 2013 Silphidae Necrophila Americana Silpha americana Victoriaville, Québec, Canada July 6th 2013 Insect



	American carrion beetles' aggregation on tree, 6/3/11, MD metapathogen

	About Published on Feb 24, 2013 American carrion beetles' aggregation on tree, 7/10/11, MD Necrophila americana DSCN4241.MOV



	American Carrion Beetle (Silphidae: Necrophila americana) Carl Barrentine

	About Uploaded on Jul 20, 2010 Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (20 July 2010).



	American Carrion Beetle (Silphidae: Necrophila americana) on Burdock Blossom Carl Barrentine

	About Uploaded on Jul 31, 2010 Photographed at Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (30 July 2010).

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Visitor Sightings

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Jacqueline Jorgensen 6/11/2021	Location: Stark Lake, Aitkin, MN



Maggie Lindberg 7/29/2020	Location: 8835 42nd St., Lake Elmo, MN It was crawling on our back yard patio.



Babette Kis 5/25/2019	Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI Necrophila americana - American Carrion Beetle, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI, photo taken May 25, 2019.



Luciearl 1/4/2018	Location: Lake Shore, MN



Bill Reynolds 8/4/2017	Location: Pennington Co MN Here we have the American Carrion Beetle. I spotting it flying and shot a stream of water at it from the garden hose, knocking it to the ground. One of the shots is of the beetle resetting it's wings, I'm guessing, for it didn't take off while I took a few images.



MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Greenwater Lake SNA Mille Lacs Moraine SNA River Terrace Prairie SNA St. Croix State Park Savage Fen SNA

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American carrion beetle