THE AMERICAN BURYING BEETLE, 
NICROPHORUS AMERICANUS: STUDIES ON THE 
NATURAL HISTORY OF A DECLINING SPECIES* 
By Andrea J. Kozol, Michelle P. Scott, 
and James F. A. Traniello 
Department of Biology, Boston University 
Boston, Massachusetts 02215 
Introduction 
Nicrophorus americanus (Coleoptera: Silphidae), the American 
burying beetle, was once widespread in its distribution in North 
America, but has apparently suffered a severe decline in this century 
and is presently known to occur only on Block Island, Rhode Island 
and in eastern Oklahoma. Although the natural history, ecology, 
and reproductive biology of North American and European burying 
beetles has been described (Pukowski 1933, Milne and Milne 1976, 
Anderson 1982a, Wilson and Fudge 1984, Wilson and Knollenberg 
1984, Wilson et al. 1984, Scott and Traniello 1987, Scott 1988), 
there is very little information on N. americanus except documenta- 
tion of its past distribution and decline (Davis 1980, Anderson 
1982b). 
We recently were able to assess the size of the N. americanus 
population on Block Island, and determine the resource require- 
ments for reproduction of this potentially endangered species. In 
addition, we present information on reproductive behavior, inter- 
specific competition, and correlates of reproductive success. 
Methods 
Study Sites 
Studies were conducted on Block Island, Rhode Island. Block 
Island is located approximately 26 km southwest of Point Judith, 
Rhode Island at 71.34° W longitude and 41.1 1°N latitude. The habi- 
tat occupied by N. americanus on Block Island consists of maritime 
shrub thickets, coastal moraine grassland and agricultural pastures. 
* Manuscript received by the editor July 12, 1988. 
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