By Kelly Vowels
Most people, when they think about insects, picture pollinators like butterflies and wasps—or nuisance insects like flies and mosquitoes. Few consider the important role of insects that decompose organic matter, such as dung beetles. Dung beetles feed on the feces of other animals and are found on every continent except Antarctica. They are also called scarabs, a name derived from their family, Scarabaeidae. In ancient Egypt, dung beetles were highly revered because people believed they helped keep the Earth revolving, like a giant ball of dung. Scarabs were linked to Khepri, the god of the rising sun.
Most dung beetles can fly long distances in search of the perfect dung pat. They use their special antennae to detect the scent of feces in the air. There are different types of dung beetles, grouped by how they use animal feces:
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Rollers remove small amounts of dung and roll it into balls, which they bury. Females lay their eggs in the buried dung or eat it. When a male and female meet at a dung pat, the male may offer a large dung ball. If the female accepts, they roll it away together, sometimes with the female riding on top.
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Tunnelers dig tunnels beneath dung, burying pieces for their larvae to feed on safely. The female organizes the dung in the tunnels, while the male brings more. One parent often stays with the larvae until they mature, which is unusual in the insect world.
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Dwellers live directly on the dung, eating it and laying eggs on top. The larvae develop into adults within the dung. Dwellers are usually smaller than the other types.
Dung beetles play a vital role in ecosystems. By burying feces, they break up and fertilize soil, help control fly populations, disperse seeds, suppress animal and human pathogens and parasites, promote plant growth, and cycle nutrients. They are essential for all ecosystems, including your garden.
Some dung beetles are also remarkable for their strength. Relative to their size, they are the strongest animals in the world, able to move up to 1,100 times their own body weight. Males also use their strength in battles, pushing and pulling rivals with their horns.
Come learn more about dung beetles and other incredible insects at BugFest on Saturday, September 20!
