American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus)
(Federally listed as Endangered)
Description:
This is a large beetle that is approximately one to 1.5 inches
in length. It is predominantly black in color, but has red or
reddish-orange markings on its wing covers, pronotum (thorax)
and antennae. It is the largest member of the carrion beetle
family and it feeds on the carcasses of dead mammals, birds and
reptiles.
Habitat: The American Burying Beetles occupy a wide range of
habitat types including tallgrass prairie, woodlands and
forests. They reproduce in the spring and summer (early May
through August). A pair of beetles will find a carcass that is
approximately the size of a rat, bury it a few inches below the
surface of the ground and lay a small clutch of 10 to 25 eggs on
it. Their populations appear to be more limited by the
availability of suitable carcasses for reproduction than by
habitat loss.
Current and Historic Distribution: Currently, the American
Burying Beetle occurs across the eastern third of Oklahoma and
has been documented in nearly 30 counties since 1995. Despite
its apparently wide range, it is rare in most of the places
where it occurs. In addition to Oklahoma, populations exist in
Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Rhode Island
and Massachusetts. Historically, the American Burying Beetle
occurred through the eastern United States from the eastern edge
of the Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast.
Reasons for Decline: The reasons for the decline in American
Burying Beetles are uncertain. Pesticide use has been speculated
as a leading cause. Another potential factor may be a reduction
in the abundance of carcasses that are of suitable size for
success reproduction.
County by County List of Endangered and Threatened Species
US Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species Lists