The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) serves an important role in the environment as they decompose carrion (dead animals) for food for themselves and their offspring. During this process, they are cleaning the forest floor and putting nutrients back into the soil. With the decline of American burying beetles, we also lose this helpful benefit. True to their name, a mating pair will bury a carcass—usually a small rodent or bird—then prepare it by removing the fur or feathers and p