Kingdom Animalia Order Coleoptera Subfamily Nicrophorinae Scientific name Nicrophorus vestigator Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Family Silphidae Tribe Nicrophorini Higher classification Burying beetle | |
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Similar Burying beetle, Silphidae, Beetle, Nicrophorus germanicus, Nicrophorus didymus | ||
Nicrophorus vestigator is a species of beetles belonging to the family Silphidae.
Contents
Varietas
Description
Nicrophorus vestigator can reach a length of about 14–22 millimetres (0.55–0.87 in). The basic color of the body is black, with two wide transversal orange stripes on the elytra. These beetles have large club-like antennae equipped with black and yellow tips. The legs are strong. The last three abdominal segments protrude beyond the elytra.
Like other burying beetles they bury the carcasses of small vertebrates such as birds and mice as a food source for their larvae. Larval development takes place during the summer, and the fully formed individuals can be found mainly in May-June and in August.
Distribution
This species is present in most of Europe, in the East Palearctic ecozone and in the Near East.