Happy Easter from our beetles!

The easter bunny has visited our necrophagous beetle colonies and left us presents.

Or has he? These beautifully red eggs laid by Thanatophilus sinuatus, a common carrion beetle of the Czech Republic are in fact bad news. The bright coloration is caused by pathogens that attacked the egg. Within days, the egg will die. But its siblings will survive and carry their genes to the next generation. And such is the circle of life.