Types of Beetles in Missouri: The Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle and the American Burying Beetle
October 17, 2026
Some of the types of beetles in Missouri look like candy, and one of them is a conservation success story still being written. Beetles belong to the order Coleoptera, and the state hosts hundreds of species in milkweed patches, prairies, woodlands, and creek banks. One local pest-control source puts the number at roughly 12 dozen types. Two species show how different a beetle’s life can be.
The swamp milkweed leaf beetle is a bright, plant-eating roadside resident. The American burying beetle is a nocturnal undertaker that disappeared from the state and has since been brought back in a small corner of it.
Anyone curious about the wider group can browse this list of 51 types of beetles in Missouri. This article looks closely at just these two, with identification tips, habitat, and where each stands today.
1. Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle
Gardeners and roadside walkers often notice this beetle first because it is hard to miss. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says the swamp milkweed leaf beetle (Labidomera clivicollis) is found on the various milkweeds it eats, often in grassy areas or on roadsides. It belongs to the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae.
The exact pattern of orange and black varies among individuals, and adults can be nearly half an inch long. The rounded, glossy body can resemble a lady beetle, but these beetles belong to a different family. That difference matters in the garden, because lady beetles are known for hunting aphids while this beetle eats plants.
Spotting This Beetle Among the Types of Beetles in Missouri
Look for it on milkweed from late spring through summer. The species ranges across most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, so Missouri sits well inside its territory. Wet habitats such as marshes and bogs suit it, but it also does well in backyards, roadsides, and parks that grow milkweed.
The beetle has a favorite host. It prefers swamp milkweed but also turns up on other milkweeds. Swamp milkweed matters to other insects too, since it is a host plant for monarch butterfly larvae.
How It Feeds and Breeds
Milkweed fights back with sticky, toxic sap, and this beetle has a workaround. It starts by clipping the side veins off the leaves, draining the sap that serves as the plant’s defense against herbivores. Then it feeds on the weakened leaf.
- Mating usually happens on a milkweed plant, and females attach eggs to the leaf undersides.
- Pudgy orange or gray larvae, marked with a row of black dots and a black collar, feed on the leaves.
- When ready to pupate, the larvae drop to the ground.
- Adults overwinter in sheltering leaves, often inside the fuzzy basal whorls of mullein.
Pro Tip: Check milkweed leaf undersides in early summer for egg clusters and clustered larvae. Because only a few beetles are usually on a plant at once, there is typically no real harm done, so most milkweed growers can simply watch them. If a small plant is being stripped, hand-picking is an easy fix.
This beetle is also a good entry point for learning about its family. It is one of about 2,000 leaf beetle species in North America, and many are colorful. For the bigger picture, see how many types of beetles there are worldwide.
2. American Burying Beetle
The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) is the opposite of the milkweed beetle in almost every way. It is a nocturnal scavenger that is large, rare, and tied to a specific conservation program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) calls it the largest carrion beetle in North America.
Adults reach 1.0 to 1.8 inches in length. The wing covers are smooth and black, with two dark orange-red scalloped marks on each one. MDC adds that in flight, they seem like bumblebees.
A Beetle That Buries Its Dinner
The name is literal. This nocturnal beetle is drawn to carrion by smell. Several beetles may fight over a carcass until one pair, usually the largest male and female, takes it and buries it while building a brooding chamber.
Parenting is unusual for an insect. Both parents take care of the brood. Larvae become adults after about 50 days, and then parents and young disperse. The species is short-lived, with a life span of only about one year.
From Missing to Reintroduced
This beetle was once widespread. It lived in 35 states but declined as habitat changed and natural communities were disturbed. By the time it reached the Federal Endangered Species List in 1989, it had vanished from all but four states. MDC notes that the species had been extirpated from Missouri.
Reintroduction changed that in part of the state. FWS reports reintroduced populations in southwest Missouri, where a nonessential experimental population was established in 2012. The designated area covers Cedar, St. Clair, Bates, and Vernon counties. The Saint Louis Zoo’s Center for American Burying Beetle Conservation, MDC, and the Nature Conservancy have taken part, releasing zoo-bred beetles.
Important Note: Sources describe this beetle’s status differently. The FWS species profile lists it as threatened wherever found (listed July 13, 1989), with the southwest Missouri group designated as a non-essential experimental population. Older references and the IUCN Red List call it endangered or critically endangered, so check the FWS profile before citing its legal status.
| Feature | Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle | American Burying Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) | Carrion beetles (Silphidae) |
| Size | Nearly 1/2 inch | 1.0 to 1.8 inches |
| Color | Orange with black markings | Black with orange-red scalloped marks |
| Diet | Milkweed leaves and buds | Carrion |
| Active | Daytime on milkweed | Nighttime |
| Missouri status | Found on milkweed in grassy areas and roadsides | Experimental population in four southwest counties |
Most Missourians will never see an American burying beetle, since the reintroduced group is small and active after dark. Seeing the milkweed beetle only takes a patch of milkweed and a sunny afternoon. Anyone who likes noticing small creatures outdoors can start with the milkweed beetle and keep an eye out for the other.
These two beetles show how much variety exists inside one insect order. For more spotting practice, compare them with the beetles of Ohio and beetles of Minnesota. Readers who want to look beyond beetles can read about spiders in Missouri or browse different types of insects.
To see how MDC describes the milkweed beetle in its own field guide, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation entry. For the burying beetle’s biology and recovery history, the FWS species page and the MDC burying beetle profile are good places to start.