Abstract
Dung beetles are a group of insects that primarily use the dung (poop) of mammals for feeding and nesting. These beetles are important for the breakdown and recycling of dung into the soil, enabling the nutrients in the dung to cycle through the ecosystem. Dung beetles provide many benefits for the health and functioning of both natural and human-modified ecosystems, such as dispersing seeds, reducing livestock parasites, and promoting plant growth. In this article, we will explore the basic life history of dung beetles. We then dig a little deeper into the importance of dung beetles within tropical forests and agricultural ecosystems.
Highlights
Dung beetles are a group of insects that primarily use the dung of mammals for feeding and nesting
It is an important food source for bats. (B) The tunneller Onthophagus coenobita occurs in agricultural ecosystems, and often carries tiny mites that use dung beetles to transport them between dung pats. (C) Male Proagoderus watanabei, a tunneling species found in Sabah, Malaysia, feeding on dung. (D) Paragymnopleurus maurus, a rolling species found in Sabah, Malaysia, pushes a dung ball to safety using its back legs
Some species of dung beetles opt for decaying flesh, fungi, fruits, and even dead millipedes and ants! Like all beetles, dung beetles have two sets of wings: a flexible interior pair used for flight, and a tough exterior pair that serves as armor
Summary
Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS, Canada Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore. Dung beetles are a group of insects that primarily use the dung (poop) of mammals for feeding and nesting. These beetles are important for the breakdown and recycling of dung into the soil, enabling the nutrients in the dung to cycle through the ecosystem. Dung beetles provide many benefits for the health and functioning of both natural and human-modified ecosystems, such as dispersing seeds, reducing livestock parasites, and promoting plant growth. We will explore the basic life history of dung beetles. We dig a little deeper into the importance of dung beetles within tropical forests and agricultural ecosystems
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