Dung Beetles in Tasmania

[Bubas bison: Photo, A Gregory, Mt Hicks]

The Benefits of Dung Beetles

Because dung beetles bury dung their benefits are significant;

Dung contains many nutrients that are lost as gas (volatilised) if left on the surface (nitrogen and carbon especially)
With burying the dung parasite eggs are eliminated (particularly stomach worms) and flies are unable to breed in the pat
Unless it is buried, dung can be washed off into local streams polluting the water
Deep digging dung beetles bring subsoil to the surface thereby creating more topsoil
Livestock don’t like to eat close to the dung (who does?), so more pasture is available
The dung beetle tunnels enable air and water to better infiltrate into the soil
The activity of dung beetles encourages other soil microorganisms (eg. earthworms utilise the dung lining beetle burrows).