It must be the month for observing insects around the farm. Recently on a walk to the mailbox, I happened upon some dung beetles busy at work . . . O.K. maybe it's not the nicest subject to blog about but I found these beetles fascinating just the same.
I discovered that dung beetles are quite the workers. Makes me wonder who works harder . . . . dung beetles or ants? This group of beetles busily divided a mound of dung into round balls and quickly moved their find across the gravel driveway and into the neighboring pasture. Using their front legs to walk or push along the ground, they use their middle and rear legs to maneuver the ball of dung all while moving backwards. I walked past the mound an hour or so later and it was gone.
I learned that dung beetles play an important role in pasture management. The beetles tunnel into the ground and carry the balls of dung down into the tunnel. Once there, they lay an egg into each ball. When the larva hatches, it feeds on the dung through its pupal stage and, as an adult it emerges to the surface and the cycle starts again. According to the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, dung beetles are beneficial to the pasture environment including the following:
- They improve pasture yields by adding organic matter and nutrients into the soil.
- By using and consuming the dung, they reduce insect populations that breed on the dung.
- They help to reduce animal diseases by removing the dung from the pasture.
- Cattle will not graze near dung; thus, removal of it increases pasture grazing area.
Who would have known?
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