<p>The combination of chemical stimuli can result in redundant, synergistic or novel effects on animal behavior that may be difficult to predict from studies of single compounds. In the field, I recorded the attraction of <i>Nicrophorus orbicollis</i>, which breeds on a fresh carcass, and the attraction of Silphini beetles, which breed on a carcass in active decay, to chemically-supplemented baits. For single compounds, methyl thiocyanate was the most attractive and dimethyl trisulfide the least for <i>N. orbicollis.</i> The opposite pattern was found for Silphini. Mixtures of compounds were not always additive effects of single compounds. The combination of dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide attracted large number of both breeding <i>N. orbicollis</i> and Silphini beetles. There was no evidence that Silphini was affected by methyl thiocyanate. On its own, dimethyl disulfide acted as an attractant to Silphini, but in combination with the preferred dimethyl trisulfide, it was a deterrent. The results suggest that beetles exploiting carcasses during different successional stages of decomposition are responding to different sets of volatiles and that combinations of chemicals can result in non-additive effects on attraction of carrion beetles.</p>