| Nicrophorus pustulatus Herschel |
| Description: This species is the easiest of the subfamily Nicrophorinae to recognize, having a mostly black body and several small orange spots on the elytra. The basal club of the antenna is black and the remaining segments are orange. |
| Similar Species: The highly reduced orange markings of this species distinguish it from any other. |
| Range: Occurs across the eastern half of the United States and into southern Canada. It appears limited to the eastern two-thirds of Nebraska. |
Notes: These beetles are nocturnal and are active from April through October. There is speculation that this species is a brood parasite, based on laboratory observations and its rare occurrence at pitfall traps. In the laboratory, N. pustulatus successfully parasitizes N. orbicollis brood balls. Because of its relative rarity, this species’ habitat preferences remain unknown.
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