Dung Beetle - habitat and lifestyle

A huge variety of insect world attracts naturalists and simply lovers of watching the wildlife. Dung beetle (scarab) is an interesting creature, one of the most ancient insects inhabiting our planet. They chose a rather unusual segment of the food chain.

Dung beetle: photo, habitat, features

A lot of herbivores live on the African continent . Many of them are quite large. For example, an elephant can eat up to a quarter of a ton of vegetable feed per day. Most of this impressive mass, of course, turns into waste. Huge heaps of manure are becoming a haven for a variety of insects, for which they are not only a habitat, but also a source of food. One of these insects is the dung beetle.

In total there are about six hundred species. Many live on the African continent. All of them are adapted to the utilization of manure piles. This is done according to the established scheme. The dung beetle rolls the litter of animals into a small spherical ball shape, collecting it with the front paws. This is done quickly enough. Because, if the beetle lingers and will fumble with one ball for a long time, then the manure will dry out (which is undesirable). A fresh pile of elephant litter can be disposed of by hordes of these insects in a very short time. Such high efficiency is very useful in farms where cattle are bred. For example, in Australia dung beetles were imported specially to cope with waste, which in an increasing amount produced by local livestock.

The purpose of the beads and reproduction of beetles

Dung beetles quickly form a ball of fresh litter and then roll it into a secluded place. His first task is to find a shaded plot of land. Sometimes it is quite difficult and the insect has to overcome more than a dozen meters. In a suitable place, the ball is buried in the ground. It will serve two purposes - eating and breeding. While the beetle is still young, it rolls dung beads in order to feed on them. And after reaching puberty, they will lay eggs. Of these, an adult dung beetle will later develop. The larva, which hatch first from the egg, will feed on the contents of the ball as it grows. The female scarab, which is in the nest most of its time, it is necessary to add additional portions of fresh litter to the bowl.

Beetle and symbols

Black beetle with wings of metallic shade was one of the most common and revered symbols of Ancient Egypt. The inhabitants of this country very closely watched the nature and the creatures inhabiting it. They noticed that the dung beetles roll their balls from east to west, as if repeating the path of the Sun in the sky. Therefore, the scarab began to be considered a sacred insect, symbolizing the power of regeneration to life and creation. In the form of a beetle, various seals, ornaments, amulets were made. There were preserved various sculptures and details of tombstones in the form of scarabs.