Silphidae - Development

Development

Silphidae undergo holometabolous development. The development in the subfamily Silphinae proceeds at a slower rate than in Nicrophorinae. The Silphinae life cycle takes approximately twenty six to fifty eight days to go from an egg to adult. The breakdown of this process is essential to forensic entomologists. The cycle takes two to seven days after the egg is laid to hatch. The larvae will develop through three instars on the carrion lasting for ten to thirty days. After that time period is up the third instar larvae will venture away from the detritus to pupate. Pupation takes fourteen to twenty one days and is the major part of metamorphosis where a grandiose change occurs. During this stage the wings become fully developed and sexual maturity is reached, sometimes called the imago or adult stage where the cycle is then repeated. The Nicrophorinae cycle is generally quicker. Oviposition is done near the carcass and takes twelve to forty eight hours for the eggs to hatch into larvae. The amount of food and parental care exhibited help determine the length of the larval stage. Pupation in this subfamily lasts six to eight days and is completed in the soil. The adult Nicrophorinae will emerge from the soil and venture to find food and a mate.