A forensically important carrion beetle with suede-like black elytra and a red-orange "shield" on its back.
The month of May is finally here, and a lot of people like to spend the warm days outside of the city, in their cottages and summer houses. But science does not know holidays! Jarin decided to place some traps in her garden and bait them with chicken breasts she did not put on the grill. After a few days, she was rewarded with a bunch of Ocieoptoma thoracicum beetles attracted by the rotting meat. This beautiful insect is about 1.5 cm long and is one of the most colorful of the Silphinae subfamily in Central Europe. The bright “shield” is correctly called pronotum, and makes this species easily recognizable. Oiceoptoma is a forest dwelling species and can be found on small to mid-sized animal carcasses, for example on frogs or rabbits.
Below are images of our beetle of the hour as well as of Jarin’s well camouflaged traps and what was inside them.
