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How beetle larvae thrive on carrion: Burying beetles rely on their gut symbionts in order to transform decaying carcasses into nutritious nurseries for their young
- October 19, 2018
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The burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides buries the cadavers of small animals to use them as a food source for its offspring. However, the carcass is susceptible to microbial decomposition. Researchers show that the beetles replace harmful microorganisms with their own beneficial gut symbionts, thus turning a carcass into a nursery with a microbial community that even promotes larval growth.
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"How beetle larvae thrive on carrion: Burying beetles rely on their gut symbionts in order to transform decaying carcasses into nutritious nurseries for their young", MachPrinciple, October 19, 2018, https://machprinciple.com/post/How-beetle-larvae-thrive-on-carrion-Burying-beetles-rely-on-their-gut-symbionts-in-order-to-transform-decaying-carcasses-into-nutritious-nurseries-for-their-young
