Beetles that receive less care as larvae may become better parents

Beetles that receive less care from their parents spend more time caring for their own offspring.

Roundneck sexton beetles (Nicrophorus orbicollis), a kind of burying beetle, bury the bodies of small animals and feed their larvae by releasing flesh-digesting enzymes into the carcass. They can also regurgitate digested meat directly into the mouths of their young.

Christopher Cunningham at the University of Georgia and his colleagues wanted to know whether the parental care these beetles receive as larvae affects how they feed their …