Carrion Burial by Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera : Silphidae) Prevents Fly Infestation

Burying beetles bury carcasses which will become food for their young. I tested whether burying beetles (Nicrophorus vespilloides) reduce fly infestation by burial or maintenance (rolling and treatment with secretions) of carcasses. The number of carcasses that harbored dipteran larvae was very low when the carcasses exposed previously to oviposition by flies were processed by N. vespilloides. It was also low when the carcasses were exposed to flies after they were buried by N. vespilloides. Moreover, field observations revealed that buried carcasses were less attractive to flies than exposed ones. Thus, I conclude that N. vespilloides reduces infestation of carcasses by burial and/or maintenance.