A Beetle That Doesn’t Bury Its Feelings
In my pursuit of shedding light on non-charismatic and lesser known species, I am lucky enough to learn alongside you with some of these species. This is one of those animals. By popular demand (aka mentioned by one of my besties) it is my distinct honor to present (and learn about) the rare and cool looking American burying beetle. Let’s dig into it!
What is it? The American burying beetle is the largest of the carrion beetles at a whopping 1-1.8 inches long… I don’t know if anyone has published their weight…hold on…3 grams! They are shiny black and orange/red, and their patterns are both striking but also display a small amount of sexual dimorphism. It took some digging and staring at pictures, but males have a “large” rounded orange spots just above their mandible, and females have a smaller triangle-ish orange spot. To be honest, if this large beetle is flying at me, I will not be looking at the difference in spots, but I will hit be hitting the deck and maybe yelp. They are nocturnal, so the chances of that type of run in is highly unlikely.
Where can you find the American burying beetle? Historically, these beetles were found from the Dakotas, down to Texas, and over to the East Coast. Now they are found in small pockets in 10 states, and a reintroduced population is in Ohio. Despite narrowing it down to the US, researchers aren’t exactly sure what habitat they prefer. The general consensus is that the beetles are generalists, which means they are happy in a variety of places. There is a light preference for grasslands and forested areas, because what the beetle really needs is animals around the size of chipmunk or dove….preferably the the mortal kind. The presence of carrion is really the biggest factor for the presence of these beetles.
What do they eat? These beetles are what is known as a carrion beetle. Which means that these bugs like to dine on meat…extra rare. Research has shown that the beetles like to munch on a variety of carrion from birds to mammals, and even the odd reptile/amphibian. The only thing that really matters it that the food has passed on to see the pearly gates.
What does beetle dating look like? Well, this is going to be interesting, it’s very gladiatorial. These beetles spend the winter buried, but as the temps climb with approaching spring, they emerge, ready to find their perfect partner. How does one attract the opposite sex? With a carcass of course! Usually the males find something around the size of a dove or a chipmunk to attract the ladies. The beetles battle it out over the carcasses, and normally the largest male and female claim the best new nursery aka the dead chipmunk/dove. The new lovebirds then bury the carcass, mate, and lays eggs in a joining tunnel. The eggs hatch after a few days, and in an unusual display for insects, both parents feed and care for the larvae. Good job beetle parents. They average anywhere from 12 to 18 larvae babies, but the record is 25. The larvae are completely dependent on the pre-chewed up food provided by the parents (think of how birds feed chicks…but they’re insects).
Do these beetles have superpowers? Of course they do! These epic beetles are amazing travelers and flyers. One beetle in Nebraska was documented to have traveled 18 miles in one night! Their bright orange antennas have chemoreceptors at the top, which detects different chemicals in the air. They can “smell” a carcass from 2 miles away. Lastly, these beetles may be the best recyclers. They play cleanup when small animals die, make their home/nursery in their food, return the nutrients back to the earth, and even play a role keeping the ant and fly population down… so yeah, they have super powers. Also digging, but I feel like that goes without saying.
How many are there? So sadly, their numbers have gone down drastically. They are native to 35 states but they now only found in 9 states. There has been a reintroduction of these beetles in Ohio.
Science Time!!!
American burying beetle - Nicrophorus americanus
The IUCN Red List has the American burying beetle as Critically Endangered. Their current threats include pretty severe habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and artificial lights. In the past, their numbers were drastically cut by habitat loss, pesticides, and disease. These wonder beetles are currently protected by the Endangered Species Act.
Resources:
Center for Biological Diversity. (N.A.). American burying beetle. Invertebrates. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/invertebrates/American_burying_beetle/index.html
USFW. (2022). American burying beetle. Species. https://www.fws.gov/species/american-burying-beetle-nicrophorus-americanus
World Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1996. Nicrophorus americanus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: e.T14760A4460296. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T14760A4460296.en
