Image: Hister Beetle from genus Saprinus
Description
Hister Beetle from the genus Saprinus.
- Photographer:
- Richard Major
- Rights:
- © Australian Museum
Additional information
Hister beetles - Family Histeridae
Histerids are usually shiny black or metallic-green beetles with introverted heads. Carrion-feeding forms generally hide under a corpse during the daylight, and only become active at night when they enter the maggot-infested part of the corpse to capture and devour maggots. Like other beetles inhabiting carrion, they have fast larval development with only two larval stages.
Beetles of the genus Saprinus are among the first beetles to arrive at carrion. The adults feed on both the larvae and pupae of all species of blowfly, although they have a preference for fresh pupae. The adults lay their eggs in the corpse, and the larvae feed on blowfly pupae when they emerge.
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Hister Beetle wrestling with a maggot View full size
Richard Major
© Australian Museum
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