New York Status: Extirpated
Federal Status: Endangered

Historical range: southern Maine to South Dakota and south to Texas and Florida, Widely distributed within its range.

Current Range: currently known to exist in only two location. One population is on Block Island, Rhode Island. The other is a recently discovered population in eastern Oklahoma.

The American burying beetle, also known as the "giant carrion beetle," is the largest member of its genus in North America. Most adults are 1.2 inches (30 mm) in length, though they vary from 1.0-1.4 inches (25-35mm). This beetle can be easily identified by its distinctive orange-red on shiny black coloration.