Margined Burying Beetle vs Black Blow Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Margined Burying Beetle Black Blow Fly
Scientific Name Nicrophorus marginatus Phormia regina
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Silphidae Calliphoridae
Size 18-27 mm 9-13 mm
Habitat Grasslands Farmland
Diet Carrion Feeders Carrion Feeders
Regions North America North America, Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Margined Burying Beetle

A burying beetle with thin orange marginal bands along the edges of its elytra. It is common in open grasslands and prairies of North America.

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Did You Know?

It can detect a mouse carcass from over a kilometre away by following the scent plume downwind.

Black Blow Fly

A dark metallic blow fly that is among the first insects to colonize a corpse. It is a key species in forensic entomology across North America.

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Did You Know?

It can detect a dead body from over a mile away using chemoreceptors on its antennae.