Carrion beetle (Silphidae family)

Necrophila americana

We saw these two very common carrion beetles at Meadowlily Nature Preserve tonight. At first glance they looked like bumble bees.

According to Wikipedia: "The beetle is known to engage in mutualistic phoresis with non-flying mites of the genus Poecilochirus. Upon arrival at a carcass, these mites drop from the beetle and begin eating the eggs and larvae of the flies that preceded the beetles (and continue to lay more eggs even as the beetles are active). They will eventually return to the adults and be transported to the next carcass. Some of their young will hitch a ride with the beetles' young upon their emergence from the pupal stage."