2022 Newsletter from the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund
You can
make the
difference
Remember our
wildlife and the wild
places that we want
future generations to
enjoy. Make sure to
"check" for wildlife on
your state tax return.
Look for the
peregrine falcon
symbol and donate
all or a portion of
your tax refund to the
Wildlife Conservation
Fund. You can also
donate throughout the
year by calling (402)
471-0641 or online at
NebraskaWildlifeFund
.com
All donations are
fully tax deductible.
and WILD PLACES
SAVING WILDLIFE
American Burying Beetle
By Jen Corman, Northern Prairies Land Trust Biologist
Nebraska Conservation and Monitoring
T
he American burying
beetle (Nicrophorus
americanus, ABB) is North
America's largest carrion
beetle. It is also an efficient
recycler and a devoted
parent. Its fascinating
life cycle is linked to
other plant and animal
species, which makes the
ABB a good target for
habitat restoration and
population monitoring.
T h e A m e r i c a n
burying beetle benefits
ecosystems by recycling
nutrients from animal
carcasses, mostly small to
medium-sized mammals
and birds. During their
brood-rearing season
in July, a pair of ABB
will bury a carcass
underground and lay eggs
nearby. Then, the parents
stay to protect their young
and feed them from the
carcass. Unfortunately,
this striking orange and black beetle has
disappeared from 90% of its historic range
across 35 states and is now only known to
occur in nine states, including Ohio after
its recent reintroduction. ABB is listed as
a federally threatened species. Nebraska
is lucky to have one of the highest
concentrations of ABB in the world.
The ABB is one of the at-risk species the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and its partners consider when designing
wildlife habitat improvement projects.
Those projects aim to restore ecosystems
that support a diversity of wildlife
through practices like invasive eastern
redcedar removal, woodland thinning,
Continued on page 2
An American burying beetle captured during surveys.
ALISON LUDWIG