Common Sexton Beetle - Nicrophorus vespilloides

This is a very distinctive and brightly coloured beetle, with black and orange patterning on the elytra. The wing cases are squarish and shorter than the abomen.

Under dead birds and mammals.

This beetle is commonly seen at light in gardens, often in company with a related, all black species, the Black Sexton Beetle.

These beetles perform an important service in getting rid of carrion (dead small animals and birds). Males and females cooperate to bury this matter, by digging beneath the bodies to provide a food supply for their larvae.

Fairly common and widespread in Britain.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 73 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.