LAUSR

Burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorus ) occasionally bury small vertebrate carcasses in animal burrows for use in reproduction. However, few studies have examined how often this burying behavior occurs under natural conditions. Here, I determined the frequency of animal burrow utilization by Nicrophorus concolor by placing rat carcasses in a field without consideration of animal burrow proximity. I observed that 36% of the carcasses were buried in animal burrows. The results suggest that Nicrophorus concolor may frequently utilize animal burrows, which may be important for its reproduction.