MARGINED CARRION BEETLE
Oiceoptoma noveboracense
CARRION BEETLE FAMILY (Silphidae)
The pronotum is black and the margins orange (Photo A). The elytra which are usually dark brown have a distinct tooth at the shoulder. There is a row of long hair or seta behind the eyes. Members of this family are large ranging from 2/5 to 1 2/5 of an inch in length.
Usually found on freshly deceased vertebrate carcasses but sometimes on decaying vegetation or living plants. This one was found on a deer carcass in Fontenelle Forest. This particular species is found in eastern N. America but Its occurrence in Fontenelle Forest is not known. Some of these beetles dig beneath a small animal and bury it. They lay their eggs on the carcass giving their larva a food source.
Adults feed mostly on fly maggots and the larvae eat the carcass itself.
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