margined burying beetle

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Margined burying beetle is a moderately-sized, North American burying beetle. It occurs throughout the United States, in Mexico, and in southern Canada. In Minnesota it is uncommon statewide but common to abundant in some locations. It is active from late February to November but most active in the hot summer months from July to August. It is usually found in open fields and meadows. Adults feed mostly on small carrion.

Margined burying beetle adult is 9⁄16″ to ⅞″ (13.9 to 22 mm) long. The head and mouth parts are projected forward. The antennae are black and are abruptly widened at the tip (clubbed). They have 11 segments but the second segment is very small, making it appear that there are only 10 segments. The expanded portion of the club is mostly bright orange, black just at the base. It is covered with velvety hairs (setae).

The body is somewhat flattened and entirely black. The underside is covered with yellow hairs. The hardened plate covering the thorax (pronotum) is nearly round and entirely black with no orange markings. It is sharply flattened at the edges with narrow margins at the sides and a broad margin at the base. The plate between the wing bases (scutellum) is visible, moderate-sized, and entirely black.

The hardened wing covers (elytra) are truncate, appearing cut off at the tip and exposing 2 or 3 body segments. They are covered with long erect hairs and the lateral margins are folded under. The surface is smooth, not ridged. On each elytron there is a broad stripe on the lateral margin extending from the shoulder (humeral) angle almost to the wing tip, and two orange, horizontal bands. The front band is broad. It extends from the lateral stripe to the inner margin (suture) making a continuous band. The edges are sharply “toothed, as if tattered.” The rear band is narrower. It does not extend completely to the suture, and it is roundly lobed, not sharply toothed.

The legs are black. The fourth segment (tibia) on each hind leg is slightly curved. The end part of each leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has 5 segments.

Total length: 9⁄16″ to ⅞″ (13.9 to 22 mm)

Open fields and meadows

February to November

After finding a carcass, the male will emit pheromones to attract a female. Together they will bury the carcass to keep it moist and prevent it being taken by a scavenger. Both adults feed the larvae.

The female lays eggs close to the buried carcass. After they hatch the first stage (instar) larvae are fed by the adults. The adults overwinter.

Decaying flesh regurgitated by the adults.

Small carrion

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

Uncommon

Location: Woodbury Mn

Location: Whitetail Woods Regional Park

Found a bunch of them on a mouse carcass along one of the open meadow trails. They move fast!