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Carrion Beetle

Ptomaphila lachrymosa

Photo by lori.tas
Published on Project Noah
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-42.5984, 147.248

Field Notes

Description:

Ptomaphila lachrymosa has distinctive markings: orange-brown, black lumps on elytra, flat edge along elytra and pronotum. Body up to 3 cm long.

Habitat:

Near or on dead animals in forests and heathlands.

Notes:

Carrion Beetles feed on dead animal carcasses and maggots (larvae). They fly at night and are attracted to lights. Which is presumably why this one was on the frame of our sliding glass door one evening.

Reference Links:

Ptomaphila lacrymosa - Information on Ptomaphila lacrymosa

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
LaurenZarate
Nice one! So different from ours in the US and Mexico.
lori.tas
I'm very appreciative of their work, Mark. We get a lot of roadkill around our place. Would stink to high heaven if the carcasses didn't disappear quickly. I thought so too, Rob. Almost like they are advertising their services.
RobThacker
Great beetle, colours are so perfectly morbid.
Mark Ridgway
It's a rotten job but someone's got to do it.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Moths of the World
Photographed
PublishedAugust 29, 2014

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