FAST FACTS
The actions of dung beetles can help to increase the organic matter content of the soil, and they can aid in the distribution of plant seeds contained in the dung.
Some farming practices can actively damage beetles or disrupt their activity, but farmers can adapt their practices to protect these insects.
It is estimated that South Africa is home to almost 800 species of dung beetle, varying in both size and colour. There are approximately 2 000 species of dung beetle in Africa and 5 000 in the world.
Dung beetles perform a vital ecological function by clearing away the fresh droppings of large animals and recycling important nutrients such as phosphate and nitrogen, as well as carbon, back into the soil.
These actions help to increase the organic matter content of the soil, and aerate and mix the soil through burrowing. This improves nutrient availability and the soil’s water-holding capacity. Dung beetles also aid in the distribution of plant seeds contained in the dung and help keep pest and parasite populations under control.
The larvae of true dung beetles all feed on dung. Between 1965 and 1985, a total 1,7 million dung beetles of 55 species were imported into Australia from Hawaii, Africa and Southern Europe. They were introduced to bury the dung of livestock, helping to eliminate the flies’ breeding medium. The introduction of dung beetles had a significant effect on Australian agriculture, land management, and the control of buffalo and bush flies.
TYPES OF DUNG BEETLE
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