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Dung Beetles in South Western Australia

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25.01.2022 Sampling from 3rd - 7th November revealed wide variation in dung beetle abundance. Southern sites - Redmond and Northcliffe trapping yielding greatest numbers.

23.01.2022 Digitonthophagus gazella, 10 - 13mm, is active from spring to autumn. It is a dawn/dusk flying species that has multiple generations per year (temperature dependent - egg to adult at 22C is about 8 weeks). It tunnels into sandy clay loam over deep sand to depths of 25cm. Prefers these climatic conditions: temperature range annual average 6 - 30C, precipitation 90 - 4,400mm. There are a number of strains of D. gazella - we are looking at the winter rainfall strain rather than those suited to tropical regions. D. gazella overwinters as adults and larvae (depending on their life stage) and does not have an obligatory diapause like O. vacca. Seems a very adaptable species so we are very hopeful it will become established in WA from stock sourced from NSW/Victoria.

20.01.2022 The most successful rearing site has been at Cambray Cheese, Nannup. Bruce and Jane Wilde and their family have volunteered to intensively rear O. vacca and now Bubas bubalus, feeding the beetles sheep dung from their dairy ewes. Bruce agreed to be interviewed for a report presented at WA Landcare Network's recent AGM. This, and other presentations, can be accessed through WALN's site. http://www.landcarewa.org.au//2020-wa-landcare-network-an/

19.01.2022 We have been disappointed with the poor reproduction of Onthophagus vacca at multiple sites throughout the south west - December 2019, and the survival of overwintering adults that should have emerged this spring. Not to be deterred, O. vacca beetles bred at University of New England (thanks Zac Hemmings) have endured a torturously slow Express Post delivery and are now set up at Harvey. We're hopeful they will suit this area which has existing species in common with those found in their native range in France and Morocco.

18.01.2022 One of many livestock producers who value the benefits of dung beetles!

12.01.2022 "Dung beetle species introductions: when an ecosystem service provider transforms into an invasive species" To refer to successfully introduced dung beetles as invasive species creates a negative connotation - an unfortunate description for species that have become enormously beneficial to the livestock industry directly and contribute positive impacts environmentally and socially. A claim "Australian and North American dung beetle redistribution programmes followed strict quarantine to prevent the spread of pests and diseases (Bornemissza, 1976), but invasion potentials of the species were never considered (Dymock, 1993)" is not supported by the Dymock reference quoted.

10.01.2022 Plenty of roadworks on the return trip to Perth (collecting dung beetles) and many of the "lollypop" attendants were wearing flynets! Come on summer species - we need you!

08.01.2022 Today I dunked old dung from the breeding bed - to ensure no O. vacca was hidden in the dung before adding it to the garden compost. A wide range of creatures - arthropods, earthworms, slugs - that made use of the dung long after adult dung beetles have decided it's no longer nutritious clambered to the surface. The dung pad is a resource that provisions its own ecosystem whose composition changes as it is decomposed.

08.01.2022 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article A rather technical article exploring the importance of parental microbiome in the brood ball for larval development, using Onthophagus taurus as the species researched. Terrific images of taurus nesting behaviour. Taurus is cranking up its activity in the south west.

06.01.2022 Another example of two traps on the same site showing vastly different beetle populations. This time, today, at Walpole.

04.01.2022 In past projects we have imported 20,000 Geotrupes spiniger and released on 9 farms throughout our catchment. Successful colonisation is yet to be confirmed. We'll try new sites this summer.

03.01.2022 DBEE researchers are looking at the effects of multiple species operating in a dung pad at the same time. This posted study's site is a cool temperate region (Turkey) that has some of the species we now have established here: taurus, fulvus and pallipes. Factors that affect how beetles 'share' the dung pad include time of day it was deposited, season, the age of the dung, beetle behaviour (day, dawn/dusk or nocturnal fliers and whether tunnelers, dwellers or ball rollers).

03.01.2022 Each trapping location has four traps set - variation between traps can be dramatic so the amalgamated data is more representative. Two contrasting Pemberton traps show why multiple traps (and paddock observations) are necessary to gain reliable data.