Flight-loss
Guides
Nebria brevicollis
European Gazelle Beetle, Short-collared Gazelle Beetle
Nebria brevicollis is a ground beetle native to Europe and the Near East that has been introduced to western North America. It is a nocturnal, opportunistic predator with a flexible life history involving photoperiod-controlled reproductive diapause. The species exhibits remarkable habitat breadth, from sea level to alpine zones, and shows phenotypic plasticity in flight muscle development based on larval nutrition. Its rapid expansion in the Pacific Northwest has raised questions about potential ecological impacts on native carabid communities.
Silphidae
carrion beetles, burying beetles, large carrion beetles, sexton beetles
Silphidae is a family of beetles commonly known as carrion beetles or burying beetles, comprising approximately 183 species in two tribes: Silphini and Nicrophorini. Members feed primarily on decaying organic matter, particularly animal carcasses, with some species exhibiting specialized behaviors such as burying small carcasses and providing parental care. The family has forensic importance due to predictable colonization patterns on human remains. Silphidae are most diverse in temperate regions, with flight capability varying among species and correlated with food source type.