Dung Beetle

Copris (?)

a Copris Dung Beetle from Eldoret, Kenya. Photo © by Michael Plagens

Observed on the Chepkoilel Campus near Eldoret, Kenya, Africa. October 2010.

The vital service of dung beetles was not fully appreciated until some years after cattle were introduced to Australia. Soon the landscape held tons of cattle dung everywhere and when rain came the countryside was overwhelmed with flies. Once dung beetles were introduced the situation improved year-by-year as the beetles went about their mandate to roll and store dung in underground chambers for the benefit of their young and new generations of dung beetles.

Scarabaeidae -- Dung Beetle Family

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 25 Dec. 2010.