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Nicrophorus tomentosus
These two carrion beetles were more like "carry-on" beetles as they were covered in mites. These beetles have very sensitive antennae, which have olfactory organs that help them locate carcasses. However, unlike other burying beetles, this species has a unique technique - they eliminate the soil under a carcass, so that the carcass will then sink below the ground after which they cover it with loose soil and leaves. They typically eat the carcasses of small vertebrate animals, including moles, rats, and mice. Once they locate a food source, they first remove any hair/feathers, roll the carcass into a ball, and then spray it with a secretion in order to preserve it. The larvae eat regurgitated food from both parents and also feed straight from the carcass.
I spotted two of these beetles feasting on some kind of dead, rotting critter on top of a large rock in a mostly deciduous forest. I spotted them because my kids and I usually rest and have a snack on this rock whenever we go on this particular hike. But, over the past few weeks, a fox has been leaving it's own "snacks" and feces on our rock. I'm guessing it's marking its territory. Now, the carrion beetles have moved in, thanks to the fox's "gifts".
The phoretic mites are beneficial for the beetles - they hitchhike to the carcass and then they eat maggots and fly eggs found in/on the flesh. So, they actually clean and remove from the carcass any potential competitors of the carrion beetle’s larva. Pretty cool example of mutualism.
8 Comments
Thanks Felix
Great shots and info!
Thank you Rick.
WOW!! Great detail... Nice find and capture.
Thanks Mark. There were 2 beetles, and one had more mites than the other. The beetle in the second picture also had mites, but they were mostly on the ventral side. When they initially came out from under the carcass, the mites would furiously scurry all over the beetles, making me wonder if they also clean debris off the beetles' bodies. They were so fast that it was hard to catch a shot.
Good notes.
Thanks!
A very interesting photo...