 Necrophila americana Image by Michael Patnaude, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 |
The American BeetlesAmerican carrion beetle American carrion beetle Species of beetle Not to be confused with the endangered American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) in the same family. The American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana,[1] formerly Silpha americana) is a North American beetle of the family Silphidae. It lays its eggs in, and its larvae consume, raw flesh (particularly that of dead animals) and fungi. The larvae and adults also consume fly larvae and the larvae of other carrion beetles that compete for the same food sources as their larvae.[2][3] They prefer to live in marshy and woody habitats.[4][5] Necrophila americana emerge from their larval state in the early summer.[6] A cuckoo bumble bee, Bombus ashtoni, displays close mimicry with the American carrion beetle.[7]… (Source: Wikipedia)
|
