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<p class=3
Hi Derek, Randy & All, Aug 28, 2008
I suspect you are correct. Many creatures are likely seldom seen
because few people are in the right place at the right time.
Some insects do seem to be laid back. One Cerambycid, several years
ago, sat on my hand while I fed it iced tea with a splinter until I
moved it to do other things. This Ne. americana stayed put while I
worked nearby and >6' away, readily walked onto a leaf when prodded,
walked off the leaf onto a post top when prodded and then stuck around
while I worked nearby and >6' away. This behavior, by a high-contrast
beetle, suggested that it had a foul taste but I will let someone more
qualified check that out.
Yt, DW
D W Bridgehouse wrote:
> Randy & Dave et al : this past June while at MV lites with Saturniids.
> Ni. pustulatus was more common at the sheet than the ordinarlily
> common june bug Phyllophaga sp or Polyphylla sp and just as noisy and
> annoying ! Just my observations . My suspicion probably only uncommon
> because probably not that many people out at nite around lites looking
> for these critters.
>
>
>
> Cheers , DB
>
>
>
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
> [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Randy Lauff
> Sent: August-28-08 10:05 AM
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Carrion beetle
>
>
>
>
>
> 2008/8/26 David & Alison Webster < dwebster@glinx.com
> <mailto:dwebster@glinx.com> >
>
> Dear All, Aug 26, 2008
> Today while hauling firewood, I found a large attractive Carrion
> Beetle (Necrophila americana (L)) in a pile of Populus grandidentata
> that was cut, split and piled in 2007. It was quite at ease with
> having been exposed, sitting with antennae splayed foreward and not
> moving at all and remained equally calm when I moved it to a post top.
> More than 5 minutes later it moved away and presumably flew.
>
>
>
> Most predators require movement of their prey to initiate an attach
> (hence your mother telling you never to run from a threatening dog).
> That carrion beetle was not very likely "at ease with having been
> exposed", rather it was likely "scared poopless" (I figure that term
> will get past the filters!) for fear of being detected. Of course both
> descriptions assign emotion to an insect that likely has none.
>
>
>
>
>
> I have previously seen this species only once, on freshly split
> dead Populus tremuloides (Sept 24, 2004) about 150 paces SE.
>
>
>
>
>
> This is a relatively common carrion beetle, somewhat more so in open
> habitats, but found in the forests as well. An image can be found at
> http://bugguide.net/images/raw/LZELQZELRZ9L7ZRH0RRH0R9LMRYZ0RHH7ZRH2RQHERYZSRRHERVLYLDZYL9LRZDL7ZCLIZTLMZ.jpg
>
>
>
>
>
>
> And on Aug 17, 2008 I found Nicrophorus pustulatus Herschel
> (another large Barrion Beetle) in a nearby pile of White Ash
> firewood that was cut live Jan 2008.
>
>
>
> Now this one is uncommonly caught, though I'm not so sure it's because
> of rarity. My student's work this summer found it four times more
> often in hemlock dominated woods compared with deciduous woods. Most
> who catch it do so at lights. By the way, there's an interesting
> slip-of-the-keyboard above..."Barrion Beetle". Although Ni. pustulatus
> is a Carrion Beetle, more specifically, it is a Burying Beetle.
>
>
>
> Like gold and everything else, Carrion Beetles are where you find
> them but I wonder if they are there as hunters or for shelter.
>
> Ne. americana is diurnal, Ni. pustulatus is nocturnal, so where you
> found the latter is more likely to be its shelter.
>
>
>
> Randy
> _________________________________
> RF Lauff
> Way in the boonies of
> Antigonish County, NS.
>
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