Common gravedigger

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Common gravedigger
Common gravedigger (Nicrophorus vespillo)

Common gravedigger ( Nicrophorus vespillo )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Beetle (Coleoptera)
Subordination : Polyphaga
Family : Carrion beetle (Silphidae)
Genre : Gravedigger ( Nicrophorus )
Type : Common gravedigger
Scientific name
Nicrophorus vespillo
( Linnaeus , 1758)

The Common gravedigger ( Nicrophorus vespillo ) is a beetle from the family of carrion beetles (Silphidae).

features

The beetles reach a body length of 12 to 22 millimeters and have a black body. The wings ( elytres ) have two conspicuous red-yellow bands with a zigzag edge. These ligaments, especially the ligament further back, are usually separated into two spots. The ligaments can also be only weakly pronounced, then the first is very narrow and the one further back is reduced to a small spot. There are also rarely completely black specimens. The Elytres have long pale yellow hair on the front and rear edges, and the pronotum also has pale yellow hair on the front edge. Likewise, the side edge of the abdomen and the rails and hips of the hind legs are so hairy on the outside. The antennae are black. In contrast to the similar black horned gravedigger ( Nicrophorus vespilloides ), the antenna lobe is colored red except for the first black member, but there are seldom individuals whose antenna lobe is completely black.

Similar species

Distribution and way of life

Common gravedigger on the carcass of a mole

The animals occur in the Palearctic and are distributed north to south of Norway and to the middle of Sweden and Finland . They are also native to the British Isles . The species is the most common of the genus in Central Europe and mainly found on small carcasses. Just like other Nicrophorus species, it has distinctive social behavior .

literature

  • Edmund Reitter : Fauna Germanica - The beetles of the German Empire. Volume 2 p. 240, KG Lutz, Stuttgart 1912
  • Edmund Reitter: Fauna Germanica - The beetles of the German Empire. 5 volumes, Stuttgart KG Lutz 1908–1916, digital library volume 134, Directmedia Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-89853-534-7
  • Jiři Zahradnik, Irmgard Jung, Dieter Jung et al .: Beetles of Central and Northwestern Europe. Parey, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-490-27118-1 .

Web links

Commons : Common Grave Digger  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files