Everyone who has visited the Kruger National Park has most definitely seen one of these hard working little beetles. Dung beetles are nature’s very own recycling team. No sooner has the dung hit the ground than these beetles come along to clean up the mess. And this is just as well, as we would have plenty more flies if it was not for these little guys. By burying the dung, they also help to improve the soil structure and nutrient recycling.
Studies have shown that within 15 minutes of an elephant’s poop hitting the ground, 4000 dung beetles have arrived for the clean-up. Shortly after that up to 12 000 dung beetles join the poop party!
While some species of dung beetles roll their dung into balls and slowly push it forward regardless of any obstacles in the way, to bury it elsewhere, others will bury their dung close to where they find it. All dung beetles use their dung ball to lay eggs in. Once their eggs hatch the baby dung beetles are surrounded by their food. Dung beetles make excellent parents. Mother dung beetles usually stay home with the babies while father dung beetle goes out to shovel dung home to feed his family.
If you take the time to watch a dung beetle you will have a healthy respect for them. Super strong, dung beetles can roll a dung ball 50 times heavier than themselves, backwards up a hill!
During the hottest time of the day, dung beetles will climb onto their dung balls. It is believed that they do this to cool their feet off as the ground they pushing dung on gets extremely hot. The dung ball is much cooler due to the moisture content in the dung.
In the bushveld, dung beetles are put into four categories:
The Rollers
As the name suggests, the rollers are the dung beetles that roll the dung into balls and push it along using it as a source of food and also a nest to lay eggs in.
The Tunnellers
This bunch of dung beetles, once they have found their dung will tunnel into the ground where they find it and bury it there, also for food and to lay eggs in.
The Dwellers
These dung beetles don’t bother to either roll their dung or tunnel at the source. They simply move right into the dung and make that their home.
The Thieves
This bunch of dung beetles are simply too lazy to bother with rolling a dung ball and instead they go out and steal an already rolled dung ball from the “rollers”.
Dung beetles are truly the unsung heroes of the veld. Without them, the Kruger National Park would be littered with dung and probably be ridden with flies. So next time you visit the Kruger National Park on a Kruger Park safari, make a point of looking out for these hard working beetles. Without them your stay in the park would be an unpleasant experience.
