G. Blouin-demers et Pj. Weatherhead, A novel association between a beetle and a snake: Parasitism of Elaphe obsoleta by Nicrophorus pustulatus, ECOSCIENCE, 7(4), 2000, pp. 395-397
While studying the nesting ecology of black rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta [Sa
y]; Serpentes: Colubridae) in eastern Ontario, we discovered that their egg
s regularly contained larvae of the burying beetle Nicrophorus pustulatus (
Herschel) (Coleoptera: Silphidae). The beetle appears to be a parasitoid of
the snakes, which may make this thr first documented case in which a verte
brate is the host of a parasitoid. Up to 100% of snake eggs in a nest were
destroyed by beetles, indicating that N. pustulatus may be a significant, a
nd heretofore unrecognized source of egg mortality for oviparous snakes. Ev
idence suggests that the association between these two species is well esta
blished, and that the beetle may also attack other species of oviparous sna
kes. identification of snake eggs as the substrate for reproduction by N. p
ustulatus solves the mystery of where this species breeds. Also, the large
amount of available biomass in communal black rat snake nests may explain w
hy N. pustulatus is so fecund relative to its congeners.