Up to 20mm. Robust and shiny black with two broken orange bands across the abdomen. Antennae are black with orange clubs. All the abdominal segments are fringed with yellow hairs. The hind tibia are straight.

Nicrophorus vespillo is similar but with distinctly curved hind tibia, plus orange hairs on the hind margin of the pronotum.

with a good image showing the key ID features.

At carrion in any habitat.

May to October. It is mainly nocturnal.

Widespread in the south but uncommon.

Rare