Nicrophorus nigrita
In 3 days ~10%
Nicrophorus nigrita, or the black burying beetle, is a burying beetle described by Mannerheim in 1843. It is found along the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to Baja California, inland through Nevada. Unlike other Nearctic burying beetles, it does not have markings on its elytra. Instead, it is mostly black, with red-orange clubs on its antennae. Adults are 12–28 millimetres (0.47–1.10 in) in length.
Nicrophorus nigrita eat carrion of small vertebrates, such as mice. The beetles coat the carcass in antimicrobial saliva to slow decay. After mating, A pair of beetles will work together to bury a fresh carcass and the female will lay her eggs in this brood chamber. Unlike most insects, both parents will remain with the brood to protect and feed their offspring.
These beetles are usually seen covered in mites (mostly in the genera Poecilochirus and Pelzneria). The beetles and the phoretic mites have a symbiotic relationship. The beetles transport the mites between food sources where they eat the fly eggs that would otherwise compete with the beetle's larva.
A catalog of the Nicrophorinae of... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Burying Beetle sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 458th most-seen of the 737 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Burying Beetle in San Francisco on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Black Burying Beetle sightings, San Francisco ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Portland (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Burying Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in San Francisco (11 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
