sexton beetle

Carrion-feeding orange and black beetle of the genus Nicrophorus. Before laying eggs, sexton beetles must locate an animal carcass and bury it. Once buried, the beetles construct a ‘crypt’ around the carcass. After laying their eggs in the surrounding soil, they roll the carcass into a ball and coat it with antibacterial secretions. When the larvae hatch 2–3 days later their parents guide them to the carrion that is their food source.

The beetles can bury a mouse carcass within an hour. If the soil beneath the carcass is too hard, the beetles must move the carcass, as they bury the carcass by displacing the soil beneath it. Though the larvae can usually complete their development unassisted, the parents remain and help them to feed by regurgitating food.