5.19.2005

Waste Not, Want Not

An American Carrion Beetle, Necrophila americana, working on the carcass of a Northern Black Racer.



The snake was probably caught and eaten by a Red-Shouldered Hawk. The left-overs have provided meals for several fly species, ants, and now carrion beetles.

The economy of nature is a marvelous thing.

4 comments:

Mr. Bloggerific Himself said...

And with a McDonald's in every port!

swamp4me said...

So true, Mr. B, so true.

Anonymous said...

That's an impressive specimen. We'd be up to our ears in foulness without decomposers like this little guy. Thank goodness they're around!

Mr. Bloggerific Himself said...

I don't want any foulness, that's for sure.