Hobbies And Interests
American Burying Beetle
The American burying beetle is considered an endangered species. In fact, it was believed that there were none left in Texas until they were rediscovered on a military base. Of all the insects that feed on carrion, the American burying beetle is the biggest, reaching lengths of up to 1-and-1/2 inches. Like its relatives in the Nicrophorus genus, it has orange stripes on its black wing covers. It has a distinctive orange patch on its face and pronotum. This large beetle will find a dead bird or other small animal, bury it in a shallow grave to protect it from other scavengers. It then picks the carcass clean, tearing and biting off flesh that it rolls into a ball and near which it lays its eggs. The adult beetles return to the carcass, eat more flesh and then regurgitate it so that their newly hatched larvae can feed on the partially digested matter.
Margined Burying Beetle
Also found in Texas is the Nicrophorus marginatus, another type of burying beetle that has antennae that have six segments and wing covers that are short and don't fully cover the abdomen. Like the American burying beetle, it has mandibles that are adept at cutting and tearing flesh. Nicrophorus marginatus is not considered a pest, rather it is viewed as a helpful scavenger and cleaner. This beetle's habit of burying small carcasses of birds or small mammals and stripping them of their flesh reduces the smells of decomposition. The female margined burying beetle will stay in the nest until her young can feed themselves. The larvae eat regurgitated meat until they are able to eat meat off the carcass like their parents.
American Carrion Beetle
This beetle of the genus Necrophilia grows to be almost an inch long and has a yellow pronotum. It is found in Eastern Texas and can be mistaken for a bumble bee when in flight because of its black and yellow coloring. The larvae feed on flesh of dead animals and may also eat the larvae of other carrion beetles. They prefer to eat dead animals that are at least the size of a rat, so in the case of birds, they are more likely to be found on carcasses of larger birds. The female lays her eggs either on or close to a dead animal.
Thanatophilus Truncatus
This small, completely black beetle is yet another carrion beetle found in Texas. Thanatophilus translates to mean a love of death which is apt for a beetle that feeds off dead flesh. It has small eyes and a set of short bristles behind the eye that face forward. The wings are smooth and completely free of ridges or any other distinguishing features. Thanatophilus truncatus is more likely to be found in wide-open habitats like meadows or fields. While it primarily feeds on carrion, it has been found in some instances on dog feces.