Subject: American Carrion Beetle, Necrophila americana

Location: Upshur County, West Virginia

Stock Number: 07-26114

Comments: Adults feed on carrion, also on rotting fungi. Most of the ones I encounter are on the leaves of low plants, perhaps search for food or a mate.

This species was formerly known as Silpha americana.

Another point of confusion as to the name is that there is a related species on the endangered species list, and it has similar common and scientific names: American Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus americanus.