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Species Details

Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »

IdentificationThis species is closely related to N. vespilloides. It has an all black antennal club; the anterior angles of the pronotum project slightly forward; and the elytral epipleuron is orange with the apex and the entire base black. The posterior fascia is a spot on each elytron which does not reach the epipleuron. The segments of the antennal club do not show the white, figure of eight pattern of microsetae that vespilloides does.
Royal Alberta Museum page
Scientific Name Nicrophorus defodiens Habitat Northern boreal forest and western montane forest. Identification
This species is closely related to N. vespilloides. It has an all black antennal club; the anterior angles of the pronotum project slightly forward; and the elytral epipleuron is orange with the apex and the entire…
This species is closely related to N. vespilloides. It has an all black antennal club; the anterior angles of the pronotum project slightly forward; and the elytral epipleuron is orange with the apex and the entire base black. The posterior fascia is a spot on each elytron which does not reach the epipleuron. The segments of the antennal club do not show the white, figure of eight pattern of microsetae that vespilloides does.
Royal Alberta Museum page
Range
This is a boreal and montane species, from Alaska to Newfoundland and south along the mountains in both the east and west. In Alberta defodiens occurs in forested areas -- in the northern boreal forest, in the…
This is a boreal and montane species, from Alaska to Newfoundland and south along the mountains in both the east and west. In Alberta defodiens occurs in forested areas -- in the northern boreal forest, in the western montane forest, and probably in the Cypress Hills.
Notes Meaning of name: "digging down." It refers to the carrion burying habits of this species.

Citation

Page Citation for Nicrophorus defodiens

Page Citation

"Species Details - Nicrophorus defodiens, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-5922. Accessed 07 Jun. 2025.

Specimen Information

There are 23 specimens of this Species.

23 results plotted on map in 8 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM32811 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Peace River Collected ByJacobs, J. M. Date Collected2000-07-06/2000-07-27

UASM101580 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-07-07/2004-07-14

UASM101581 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101582 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101583 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-07-07/2004-07-14

UASM101584 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101585 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101586 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-07-07/2004-07-14

UASM101587 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Gardiner Lakes Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-07-17/2004-07-20

UASM101588 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Gardiner Lakes Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-07-17/2004-07-20

UASM101589 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Gardiner Lakes Collected ByHilchie, G. J.; Macaulay, D.; Macaulay, S. Date Collected2004-07-11/2004-07-12

UASM101590 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Gardiner Lakes Collected ByHilchie, G. J.; Macaulay, D.; Macaulay, S. Date Collected2004-07-09/2004-07-12

UASM101591 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Gardiner Lakes Collected ByHilchie, G. J.; Macaulay, D.; Macaulay, S. Date Collected2004-07-11/2004-07-12

UASM101592 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101593 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101594 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101595 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101596 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101597 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-06-15/2004-07-08

UASM101598 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Big Island Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2004-07-14/2004-07-19

UASM101578 - Nicrophorus defodiens

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Caribou Mountains Wildland Park, Wentzel Lake Collected ByJohnson, T. Date Collected2003-07-13

Adult Seasonal Distribution