Evaluating trapping methods for estimating populations of American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus)

Burying beetles in the genus Nicrophorus are carrion feeding beetles that display cooperative brood care

behavior. Historically, the American Burying Beetle (ABB) (Olivier) (Coleoptera; Silphidae) was

ubiquitous across the eastern United States. It is currently limited to three viable populations: Southeast

OK, Block Island, RI, and Central NE. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approved

sampling protocol, designed to detect ABB activity within a given area, is based on deployment of a

single carrion-bated trap every 2 km2. However, this protocol has not been validated. In order to

address the accuracy of this protocol over a range of local activity-density levels, we have

simultaneously deployed paired 2 km2 grids over time at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant

(McAAP), located in SE OK, with: 1) a single trap or 2) 16 equidistantly spaced traps to achieve

saturation sampling. Preliminary results indicate that a single trap’s captures does not accurately reflect

local ABB activity-density.