| The Daily Bucket is a place where we post and exchange our observations about what is happening in the natural world in our neighborhood. Each note about the bugs, buds, and birds around us is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns of nature that are quietly unwinding around us. |
I grew up on a farm in the midwest. Dung beetles were common in the summer in the animal lots. My uncle took great pleasure telling me a detailed story when I was about ten about how he spent several hours one day watching the progress of a certain beetle. He told of how it burrowed into a cow pile, formed a ball, and rolled it to a prepared spot in the dusty lot to bury it. He had such fun telling that story.
The dung beetle is an interesting species. There are 2000 species in Africa and 7000 worldwide. About 90% of the species live entirely in and under the dung pile, never going anywhere else. The remaining 10% roll a ball of dung to a new location. Dung beetles have an interesting niche in the ecosystem where they live. I'd like to share more of the information about them I found recently.
Burrow with me through the orange pile of dung. It's warm, cozy, and smelly below.