Nature Walk: Carrion Beetles

Carrion beetles are about an inch long and colorful. They play an important role in natural processes by feeding on dead animals. On this specimen's thorax are tiny mites that have a symbiotic relationship with the beetles. The mites are carried to food sources by the beetles where they feed on fly eggs eliminating the competition of the fly's maggots, which would otherwise speed up the decomposition of the beetles' food source.