Question

The author structures paragraphs 11–13 in chronological order to —
A
describe fascinating characteristics of young American burying beetles
B
summarize the special abilities of American burying beetles
C
inform the reader about each step in the life cycle of the American burying beetle
D
emphasize the importance of the American burying beetle in the ecosystem

(11) Lou explained how these beetles find their meals. They can “smell” carrion from as far away as two miles, by means of sensors on their antennae. Flying noisily through the dusk, a male usually reaches the carcass he has located soon after dark. Then he—and any other males who have also discovered the feast—emits pheromones that are irresistible to females of the species. Thus, you’ll likely find a number of beetles gathered around any one corpse. It seems they form pairs, and there may be a good deal of fighting until one couple claims the prize. They then cooperate to bury it. This can be hard work: A carcass the size of a blue jay will take about twelve hours to bury.

Beetle Co-Parenting

(12) Once the carcass is safely underground, the beetles strip it of feathers or hair and then coat it with ...secretions, which help to preserve the flesh that will serve as food for their young. Next, the couple consummates their pairing, and within a day the female lays the fertilized eggs in a small chamber that they have dug out close to the carcass. Here both parents wait for their eggs to hatch, which will be in two or three days. Both mother and father carry the larvae to their “larder.” And then—and this really blew my mind away—the young beetles will stroke the mandibles of their parents to entice feeding, and the adults will regurgitate food for their young. How absolutely amazing—an insect species in which mother and father care for their young together!

(13) Usually, by the time the carcass is safely underground, flies have already laid their eggs on it. These hatch quickly into hungry competitors for the young beetles. But help is close by: Riding on the bodies of the adult beetles are tiny orange mites that quickly climb onto the carcass, where they feed on fly eggs and maggots. In about two weeks, the sated beetle larvae burrow into the soil to pupate, and the parents move on. As they do so, the orange mites hop back on board. The young beetles will emerge about forty-five days later.

Answer 1

C

Paragraphs 11–13 follow the sequence of events (finding carrion, burying it, laying eggs, feeding larvae, pupation, emergence), so the chronological order informs the reader about each step in the beetle's life cycle.