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70 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM crescent-shaped, sparsely setose or nearly glabrous area immediately behind margin of each mesocoxa. Metepimeron glabrous. Elytra: Each elytron with 2 broad, complete, transverse, orange bands. Humerus covered by field of short, stout setae that extend posteriorly to base of epipleural ridge (Figs. 85, 92). Epipleuron orange (Fig. 85). Legs: Anterior face of procoxa with sparse, minute setae on basal half. Posterior tibia straight. Posterior edge of metatrochanter with acute tooth projecting perpendicular from trochanter (Fig. 96). Distribution. Nicrophorus hybridus ranges from the southern part of western Canada southward through the north-central United States to northern Arizona and New Mexico (Anderson and Peck 1985, Peck and Kaulbars 1987). In Nebraska, this species is known from the northern portion of the state only but may also occur in the panhandle. Locality Records (Fig. 109). 3 Nebraska specimens examined. CUMING CO. (2): West Point; SIOUX CO. (1): Warbonnet Canyon. Temporal Distribution. Rangewide: June to September (Peck and Kaulbars 1987). Nebraska: No data. Remarks. Nicrophorus hybridus is best identified by the combination of key characters, especially when trying to separate it from N. investigator. Nicrophorus hybridus is distinctive because of its broad elytral maculations, crescent-shaped region immediately behind each mesocoxa that is glabrous or sparsely setose, and stout humeral setae that extend to the base of the epipleural ridge. Both the males and females have small eyes. The posterior edge of the metatrochanter in the males has an acute tooth that projects perpendicular to the plane of the trochanter (Fig. 96). Contrast this with Fig. 97 for N. investigator. The larval stage was described by Anderson (1982), and a diagnosis was given by Anderson and Peck (1985). Little is known of the biology of this species. Peck and Kaulbars (1987) characterized their habitat as prairie, sage steppe, and montane meadow. Adults are probably diurnal and are reproductively active during the summer (Anderson and Peck 1985). Overwintering occurs in the prepupal stage. Nicrophorus investigator Zetterstedt (Figs. 17, 79, 86, 93, 97, 99, 101, 107, 110) Necrophorus investigator Zetterstedt 1824: 154. Necrophorus maritimus Guérin-Méneville 1835: Pl. 17, Fig. 8. Necrophorus melsheimeri Kirby 1837: 97. Necrophorus particeps Fischer von Waldheim 1844: 139. Necrophorus aleuticus Gistel 1848: 190. Necrophorus pollinctor Mannerheim 1853: 169. Necrophorus infodiens Mannerheim 1853: 170. Necrophorus confossor LeConte 1854: 20. Diagnosis. Length 13.2-18.0 mm. Head: Club of antenna with basal segment black, remaining segments orange. Male with small eyes, post-ocular bulge subequal to length of eye. Female with large eyes, post-ocular bulge less than half length of eye (Fig. 99). Thorax: Pronotum subquadrate, with lateral and basal margins wide; anterior, transverse depression deep (Fig. 79). Metasternum with dense yellow pubescence, including area just posterior of each mesocoxa. Metepimeron glabrous. Elytra: Pattern variable; each elytron with two broad, transverse, orange bands; or anterior band reduced to one, two, or three spots. Epipleuron orange (Fig. 86). Legs: Anterior face of procoxa with minute setae on basal half. Posterior tibia straight. Posterior edge of metatrochanter of males with acute tooth recurving dorsally (Fig. 97). Distribution. Nicrophorus investigator is widely distributed throughout Canada and Alaska and along the Rocky Mountains to New Mexico and Arizona. It is occasionally found in the northeastern United States. It is also broadly distributed in Europe and Asia (Anderson and Peck 1985, Peck and
Kaulbars 1987). In Nebraska, this species is known only from North Platte, and this locality represents a NEW STATE RECORD. These specimens were prepared by me from samples collected in a stand-alone light trap in 1966. Unfortunately, no specimens have been collected since 1966 even though recent trapping programs have been conducted both to the immediate east and west of North Platte. Locality Records (Fig. 109). 2 Nebraska specimens examined. LINCOLN CO. (2): North Platte. THE CARRION BEETLES OF NEBRASKA 71 Fig. 112. Nicrophorus investigator Zetterstedt. Temporal Distribution. Rangewide: May to October (Peck and Kaulbars 1987). Nebraska: July (2). Remarks. Nicrophorus investigator is most reliably identified by the combination of key characters, but especially by the length of the field of small setae on the humerus when differentiating it from N. hybridus. Although variation in elytral pattern is extensive (with darker forms occurring in the northwestern coastal populations), all the specimens from Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado have broad bands of orange on the elytra.
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Cover. An adult burying beetle, Nic
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Bulletin of the University of Nebra
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Bulletin of the University of Nebra
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Extensive collecting was conducted
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THE CARRION BEETLES OF NEBRASKA 5 F
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the spring and fall. Drought freque
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they are referred to as “pampas,
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THE CARRION BEETLES OF NEBRASKA 11
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ea s t e r n de c i d u o u s Fo r
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insects are attracted to a cadaver
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The jar or container should not be
Page 25 and 26: SUBFAMIly SIlPhINAe The Silphinae i
Page 27 and 28: 3’. Head may have short setae, bu
Page 29 and 30: In a report by Lawrence Bruner on t
Page 31 and 32: THE CARRION BEETLES OF NEBRASKA 25
Page 33 and 34: certain areas of the Pacific Northw
Page 37 and 38: distributed throughout the eastern
Page 39 and 40: on the dried remains of hide, sinew
Page 41 and 42: elytra are exposed and are a bright
Page 43 and 44: will distinguish the larva of this
Page 45 and 46: GARDEN CO. (2): Crescent Lake; GOSP
Page 47 and 48: Creek Reservoir, Red Willow Reservo
Page 49 and 50: Adults in the genus Nicrophorus are
Page 51 and 52: A few field studies have shown that
Page 55 and 56: preparing the feeding cavity of the
Page 57 and 58: is allocated to the parents’ own
Page 59 and 60: oods reared on small carcasses by f
Page 61 and 62: 5. Anterior face of procoxa with sh
Page 65 and 66: KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THIRD INSTAR
Page 67 and 68: in north-central Nebraska (Ratcliff
Page 69 and 70: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (199
Page 71 and 72: factors responsible for the decline
Page 73 and 74: Mexico) had relatively low efficien
Page 75: face of the procoxa in the basal ha
Page 79 and 80: ADAMS CO. (30): No data; ARTHUR CO.
Page 81 and 82: and basal margins wide; anterior tr
Page 83 and 84: narrow; basal margin wide; anterior
Page 85 and 86: Mormon Island; HARLAN CO. (17): Rep
Page 87 and 88: ADAMS CO. (2): No data; CLAY CO. (1
Page 89 and 90: Park; SALINE CO. (4): Swan Creek; S
Page 91 and 92: LITERATURE CITED ABBOTT, C.E. 1927a
Page 93 and 94: (Nicrophorus americanus) in Oklahom
Page 95 and 96: HERSCHEL, J.D. 1807. Die Europäisc
Page 97 and 98: (Nicrophorus spp.). Journal of the
Page 99 and 100: REED, H.B. 1958. A study of dog car
Page 101 and 102: TRUMBO, S.T. 1990a. Reproductive be
Page 103 and 104: GLOSSARY (modified from Torre-Bueno
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