Black Sexton Beetle - Nicrophorus humator

There are several Sexton beetles in the UK but this is the only all black species (apart from the orange tips to its antennae) and it is large (20-30 mm).

As they fly long distances to feed on carrion they can be seen a wide variety of habitats were their food is to be found.

Mainly April to September.

The Sexton beetles are the undertakers of the insect world. They fly to carrion, attracted by the smell. If the dead animal is small, such as a mouse, they crawl underneath and excavate the soil so that the corpse gradually sinks into the ground. They then lay eggs nearby, and stay until the larvae hatch, and even feed them.

Fairly common over much of Britain.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 103 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.