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American Carrion Beetle

Posted by August 14th, 2009 at 8:36 am

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Carrion Beetles

black and yellow bugs
August 13, 2009
I saw these guys munching on some strange mushroom-like growth that appeared on the edge of the woods. The fungi and the bugs seemed to have appeared overnight. The bugs were quick but did not leave the mushroom even when I harassed them with my close contact. What are they?
Linda
southcentral Kentucky

carrion beetles linda 300x230 American Carrion Beetle
Carrion Beetles

Dear Linda,
These are American Carrion Beetles, Necrophila americana.  Both adults and larvae consume carrion and the maggots that are attracted to the rotting flesh, but we have received other reports associating them with mushrooms.

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