Overwintering Site Selection of Nicrophorus orbicollis Say in New York (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Abstract

We consider overwintering site selection a factor that will affect the post release viability of the Endangered Nicrophorus americanus Oliver (American Burying Beetle) from Block Island, Rhodes Island, back to New York. Through use of the congener most closely related to American Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus orbicollis Say, we conducted a laboratory olfactometer study comparing two populations of the surrogate species aimed to detect significant differences in frequency of choice between them when acclimated to overwintering conditions. When presented with four choices: leaf litter from a mixed hardwood forest, forest soil, Peromyscus species nesting material, and a blank control, we found there is no significant evidence that there is a difference in choice between a population of Nicrophorus orbicollis indigenous to NY and a population from Block Island, RI. These results may suggest that the conservation of current overwintering habitats in NY are more appropriate than the development of habitat related to that of Block Island, RI.