Behaviour
The economic and social benefits of dung beetles come from its nesting behaviour and intermit relationship with the dung of other species. Consuming large amounts of manure during the adult and larval stage of life the beetle plays a large role in breaking down manure and redistributing nutrients, aerating soils and suppressing pest insects by directly competing with them for food. To collect the necessary amount of food the dung beetles make use of one of three nesting strategies each with its own implications towards ecological functional. The three strategies include:
1) Tunneler
2) Dweller
3) Roller
1) Tunneler species consume the dung pile then make a brood ball with eggs and a concentration of dung as food for the larva. In the process of tunneling under the pat (see below figure section I) subsurface soil is brought above ground and the tunnel is filled with loosened soil and aerated organic matter (Huerta et al. 2010).
2) Dweller dung beetles consume the manure pat and place their eggs in the pat or in the soil near the surface. This process removes the larger dung and is replaced by beetle dung which is more easily broken down by natural weathering. (See below figure section II)
3) Rollers also make use of deposited dung but will often roll the dung to another site away from the dung mound. This process is similar to the burrowers but also helps in seed dispersion of grasses (see below figure section III) and other species (Bertone et al. 2006; Tyndale-Biscoe 1990).
1) Tunneler
2) Dweller
3) Roller
1) Tunneler species consume the dung pile then make a brood ball with eggs and a concentration of dung as food for the larva. In the process of tunneling under the pat (see below figure section I) subsurface soil is brought above ground and the tunnel is filled with loosened soil and aerated organic matter (Huerta et al. 2010).
2) Dweller dung beetles consume the manure pat and place their eggs in the pat or in the soil near the surface. This process removes the larger dung and is replaced by beetle dung which is more easily broken down by natural weathering. (See below figure section II)
3) Rollers also make use of deposited dung but will often roll the dung to another site away from the dung mound. This process is similar to the burrowers but also helps in seed dispersion of grasses (see below figure section III) and other species (Bertone et al. 2006; Tyndale-Biscoe 1990).