Carrion beetles (FamilySilphidae) are a minor group of beetles, consisting of about 300 species. The name "carrion beetles" is not accurate, because many species don't feed on carrion, but are carnivorous.
The genera Phosphuga, Ablattaria and Silpha are mainly snail hunters. They spray digestive fluid into the snail_shell, and afterwards they suck the prey out of its shell.
The carrion beetles of the genus Xylodrepa hunt caterpillars, while Aclypea and Blitophaga are considered as pests, because they feed on garden plants.
The best-known members of the family are the burying beetles (Nicrophorus), which are indeed carrion-eating beetles.
Classification
Carrion beetles are divided into two subfamilies, which can be distinguished by the length of the elytra (= forewings).
Silphinae (elytra cover the entire abdomen)
Nicrophorinae (elytra don't cover the three last segments of the abdomen)
It is the largest carrionbeetle in North America, is carnivorous and feeds on carrion and requires carrion to breed, and it is also one of the few species of beetle to exhibit parental care.
The beetle is nocturnal and is a strong flier, moving as far as a kilometer in one night.
However, the beetles are carrion specialists in that they need carrion the size of a dove or a chipmunk in order to reproduce.
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