This dataset is used to investigate if evisceration residues of roe deer are used as a resource by necrophagous insects. Pit fall traps baited with eviceration residues, entire carcasses or unbaited were used to sample invertebrates. 

Two pitfall traps were placed at all nine experimental sites (9 cm opening diameter) in the northwest and southeast corner of metal cages. Overall experimental set-up was adapted following von Hoermann et al. 2018. From the start of the experiment pitfall-traps were emptied in two-day (48 hour) intervals for a total of 18 intervals (I01-I18). Distilled water with odourless detergent were used as trapping liquid. Carcass and residue samples were placed inside the metal cage right before the first trapping interval. All invertebrates sampled by pit-fall traps were transferred to 70% ethanol solution and later determined in the laboratory. Most non-beetle groups were sorted to order level, while most beetles were sorted to family level. Burying and dung-beetles were identified to species.

Three samples at carcasses sites were made unusable by vertebrate scavengers.