Editing Silphidae (section)

==Behavior and ecology==

=== Food===
[[File:Nicrophorus vespilloides in dead rodent.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Nicrophorus vespilloides]]'' colonizing a dead rodent.]]
Silphid adults feed in a saprophagous manner: they colonize the [[carrion]] during all four stages of [[decomposition]], which are fresh, bloated, decay, and dry. The main areas of decomposition for adults are during both the bloated and decaying stages. Silphid larvae mainly inhabit during the decaying and dry stages of the [[carrion]]. The primary food source for the subfamily Silphinae is the [[maggot]] mass present on the [[detritus]]. Nicrophorinae will colonize the body earlier in decomposition in order to avoid competition with maggots. If there is a sufficiently large maggot mass they will not colonize the [[Carrion|carcass]]. The parental care exhibited by this subfamily is that the adult beetles regurgitate food into the mouths of the young larvae until they are mature. Silphinae colonize later in the decaying process and the adults eat the maggot mass, sometimes leaving little maggot evidence left to estimate a [[post-mortem interval]]. In the case of the sexton or burying beetles, Nicrophorinae, the adults will bury small animal carcasses and lay their eggs on it. In some species, a slight depression is made on the [[detritus]] for maturing larvae that the adult beetles feed and protect. In both subfamilies the larvae are observed to eat the decaying organic material while the adults mainly consume the maggots. Flies are the major [[competition|competitor]] of silphids for [[detritus]]. If a carcass is infested with maggots, many of the Nicrophorinae will abandon the carcass while members of Silphinae will feed on the maggots.<ref name="book"/>

===Defense===

Beetles have many different weapons available to protect them against [[predator]] attacks. The members of Silphidae have many different modifications that allow them to thrive in different [[ecological niche]]s including colour warnings (from [[aposematism]] to [[Batesian mimicry]]), chemical defenses and [[parenting|parental care]]. Silphines are usually dark in color consisting of gold, black and brown. This dark coloring allows them to blend into their environment. Many nicrophorines have bright orange coloring on their [[elytra]], which may serve as a warning to other predators.<ref name="Rat">Ratcliffe, B. The Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera:Silphidae) of Nebraska. ''Bulletin of the Nebraska State Museum''. Volume 13.</ref> Some species secrete a chemical from a rectal gland that consists of [[aliphatic acid]]s and [[terpene alcohol]]s. The secretion has a strong, foul odor and may be [[topical]]ly irritating to [[cockroach]]es and [[flies]]. The species ''[[Necrodes surinamensis]]'' ejects this secretion as a spray and can rotate the end of its abdomen to spray in all directions.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Roach|first1=B.|last2=Eisner|first2=T.|last3=Meinwald|first3=J|title=The Defense Mechanisms of arthropods. 83. alpha-and beta-Necrodol, novel terpens from a carrion beetle (Necrodes surinamensis, Silphidae, Coleoptera)|journal=Journal of Organic Chemistry|date=1990|volume=55|issue=13|pages=4047–4051|doi=10.1021/jo00300a020}}</ref>

===Locomotion and navigation===

Walking is the primary form of locomotion for Silphidae. They are able to travel great distances to find [[Carrion|carcasses]] to breed and feed on. Beetles also have two sets of wings, the [[elytra]] and the hind wings. The hind wings are membranous and are modified for flying or swimming. There are some Silphidae who are able to fly, but others have lost this ability throughout [[evolution]]. When an animal dies, [[hydrogen sulfide]] and some [[cyclic compound]]s are released. Silphidae use their sense of smell to locate carcasses from a long distance by [[chemoreceptor]]s on their antennae, which are adapted to detect these chemicals.<ref>Evans, A. Hogue, J. ''Introduction to California Beetles''. University of California Press 2004. p. 154–156.</ref> At a short distance, the end organs of the palpi <!--[[palp]] and [[palpi]] redirect to [[pedipalp]], which pertain to Chelicerata, not insects, so don't link--> detect the odors.<ref name="Rat"/> Silphid beetles are usually more active at night, [[nocturnality|nocturnal]], which may help reduce competition.

===Competition===

[[Competition]] from other organisms for the [[carrion]] puts the silphids at both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is that fly competitors lay eggs that result in [[maggot]]s and supply food for silphids. The disadvantage for the Nicrophorinae is that if the carcass is already “blown”, referring to [[Shakespeare]]an time as being infected with fly maggots, they will not colonize. Nicrophorinae have adapted to these situations and will bury the [[Carrion|carcass]] to remove it from other competitors.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Eggert AK, Reinking M, Muller JK | year = 1998 | title = Parental Care Improves Offspring Survival and Growth in Burying Beetles | journal = Animal Behaviour | volume = 55 | issue = 1| pages = 97–107 | doi=10.1006/anbe.1997.0588| pmid = 9480676 | s2cid = 41821139 }}</ref> With this technique, a steady food source is available for the larvae and [[procreation]] chances increase.

Silphidae compete for [[offspring|brood]]ing areas. If an invader male overpowers the original male, it will mate with the original female and create a new [[offspring|brood]].<ref>{{cite journal | author = Trumbo ST | year = 2007 | title = Defending Young Biparentally: Female Risk-Taking with and Without a Male in the Burying Beetle, ''Nicrophorus pustulatus''| journal = Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology | volume = 61 | issue = 11| pages = 1717–1723 | doi=10.1007/s00265-007-0403-5| s2cid = 26073189 }}</ref> If an invader female overpowers the original female, it will also create a new [[offspring|brood]] with the primary male.