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Carrion Beetles

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unnecessary carnage

Identification
July 14, 2009
The other day i was sitting in my basement when an insect (6 legs) landed on me. mostly black with red dots, large wings and when i brushed it off of me it then emitted a horrendous smell that was so bad i had to change
n/a
southeast missouri

Dear n/a,
This is a Pustulated Carrion Beetle, Nicrophorus pustulatus.  It is one of the Burying Beetles.  BugGuide reports:  “Reported to be a brood parasite of other Nicrophorus (1). Also reported to parasitize the eggs of Black Rat Snakes–see Ecoscience 7 (4) : 395-397 (2000). The beetle larvae destroy the snake eggs, thus, the beetle would qualify as a parasitoid, a relationship usually seen only among invertebrates.”  It appears that this Pustulated Carrion Beetle has been skewered, and we don’t believe it is to enter an insect collection, which would probably qualify it as unnecessary carnage.  In the scheme of things, the beetle stinking you up so you had to change your shirt is not as troublesome as you ending its life as payback.

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5. American Carrion Beetle (August 14, 2009)