Creature Feature: The American Burying Beetle
This week’s Creature Feature turns to a species class that many people are not exactly fond of—some people even fear them—but they deserve their turn in the spotlight all the same. The American Burying Beetle, or Giant Carrion Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), is a critically endangered species and native to North America. They are between 25 and 45 mm in size (roughly 1 to 2 inches) and have a shiny, black body with orange-red markings. This creature is carnivorous and it’s food—and breeding ground—of choice is carrion; in other words, it likes to eat and breed in dead things. However, despite…
