Dung beetles are insects known for creating and rolling spheres of animal waste. This behavior allows them to efficiently manage resources, showcasing their strength and navigation skills.
The Purpose of the Dung Ball
Dung beetles create and roll dung balls for two main purposes: as a food source and as a protective nursery for their offspring. Adult dung beetles, being detritivores, consume the nutrient-rich liquid within the dung for sustenance. The dung ball acts as a compact package of these nutrients, allowing them to store energy-rich resources for later consumption.
This ball-rolling behavior is characteristic of “roller” dung beetles, also known as telecoprids. Unlike rollers, “tunnelers” (endocoprids or paracoprids) dig burrows directly under dung piles to store food and lay eggs. “Dwellers” (paracoprids) live and breed within the dung pat itself. For roller species, the dung ball also serves as a brood chamber; females lay their eggs inside, providing the larvae with a nourishing and secure environment to develop.
How Dung Beetles Create and Navigate Their Ball
Dung beetles use a scooper-like head and paddle-shaped antennae to gather and shape fresh dung into a sphere, which can sometimes be as large as an apple. Once formed, the beetle pushes it away from the original dung pile with its hind legs, often moving backward with its head facing the ground. This backward rolling helps them maintain control over the ball and ensures a straight path, preventing them from returning to the competitive dung pile.
They rely on celestial cues to maintain a straight course. During the day, they use the sun’s position and the pattern of polarized light in the sky for orientation. At night, nocturnal species can navigate by the light of the Milky Way, perceiving it as a broad stripe across the sky. If one cue is unavailable, such as when the sun is directly overhead, they can switch to other cues like wind direction, demonstrating adaptability.
Dung Beetles and Ecosystem Health
Dung beetles contribute to ecosystem health by processing dung. Their actions aid in nutrient cycling, breaking down organic matter and incorporating it into the soil. This process returns essential nutrients to the ground, which then become available for plants, promoting soil fertility and pasture growth.
The burial of dung by these beetles also helps aerate the soil and improve its structure, increasing water infiltration and reducing surface runoff. Their activity helps control parasite populations in livestock by removing dung, which serves as a breeding ground for flies and parasitic worms. By burying the dung, they disrupt the life cycles of these pests, contributing to healthier animal populations and a balanced environment.