Dung beetle
Scarabaeidae (various genera and species)
- Order & Family
- Order: Coleoptera, Family: Scarabaeidae (specifically subfamily Scarabaeinae for true dung beetles)
- Size
- Typically from 5 mm to 30 mm, though some species can be larger.
Natural Habitat
Found in various terrestrial habitats worldwide, including grasslands, forests, deserts, and agricultural areas, wherever mammal or bird droppings are available.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feed on dung (feces) of herbivores and omnivores. Some species also feed on decaying plant matter, fungi, or carrion.
Behavior Patterns
Known for their unique behavior of rolling dung into balls for burial, which they then use as food for themselves or as a brood chamber for their larvae. Different species exhibit different behaviors: rollers (roll balls), tunnelers (bury dung on the spot), and dwellers (live within the dung pat).
Risks & Benefits
Benefits include nutrient recycling, soil aeration and enrichment, secondary seed dispersal, and reduction of pest flies and internal parasites of livestock. Generally no risk to humans, though some large species can give a pinch if handled.