Beetles are considered the least disgusting or scary animals in the insect kingdom – but this beetle will probably make you think again. The American undertaker, as her name suggests, has developed a rather disturbing habit: she buries the bodies of other animals larger than herself, and even 'mummifies' them in a shroud, in order to eat them. We used Forefront to learn about this unique and rare insect.
The American undertaker is a rare breed, emerging from its hibernation with the arrival of spring. Then, males and females alike begin the search for mates – followed immediately by another, even more challenging search: locating a suitable carcass weighing between 80 and 200 grams to feed the new generation that will soon be born. Once they find a carcass, the male and female work together—another behavior unique to this species—to bury it underground. They then form an incubation chamber in the ground adjacent to the carcass. The pair stripes the carcass of any fur or feathers and rolls it into a ball. Finally, they coat the ball with secretions from the mouth and stomach, like a shroud, which slow down the rot of the flesh.
After the mummification and burial work is complete, the female lays her eggs in the ground adjacent to the buried carcass. When the larvae hatch, both parents take out partially digested food to feed the young. As the larvae grow, parents continue to feed and care for them directly from the buried carcass.
If the carcass is too small in proportion to the number of eggs laid, parents may resort to cannibalization—that is, feeding some offspring to others—to improve the chances of survival of the remaining larvae. This ensures the best use of the limited resource.
The American burial undertaker reaches a length of up to 4.5 cm, making it the largest species of undertaker (i.e., the scavenging 'cobra' beetles of other animals) in North America, and is covered with prominent orange markings. Unfortunately, it is in grave danger, having already become extinct in 90% of its historic habitats. Conservation efforts aim to breed and return these insects back to a suitable habitat.
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