Do you remember Tumble Bugs ??? - Homesteading Today
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Do you remember Tumble Bugs ???

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  #1  
Old 08/19/08, 08:03 PM
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Do you remember Tumble Bugs ???
My wife and I were talking about how you never see tumble bugs anymore . Are they still aroung ? I use to spend hours in the pasture warching them create those little round works of art out of well you know if you know what a tumble bug does .
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  #2  
Old 08/19/08, 08:08 PM
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Those are called Dung Beetles and we have them around here.
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  #3  
Old 08/19/08, 08:16 PM
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They had a real name wow
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  #4  
Old 08/19/08, 08:58 PM
 
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Ive got one here
Its 4 footer. Great thing for moveing dirt LOL
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  #5  
Old 08/19/08, 09:40 PM
 
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Yep, Tumble bugs were amazing to watch when I was a kid. There was another beetle that closely resembled a Tumblebug, and it was called a June Bug. The June Bug was different in that in would fly. We used to catch the June Bugs and tie a long thread to one of their legs and watch them fly along with us like a dog on a leash. Haven't seen either kind in a long while.
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  #6  
Old 08/19/08, 09:45 PM
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farmboybill-That was the first thing I thought of when I read the title of the thread. We had one when I was growing up and the release/latch was a little out of kilter and it wouldn't roll and latch everytime so it was my job to kick it to get rolling after it dumped if it wouldn't go over far enough to latch. We moved a lot of dirt with it though.
Oldman river- I don't notice them where we live here but I grew up 250 miles south and they were around when I was growing up.
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  #7  
Old 08/19/08, 10:52 PM
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My dad and two other neighbors bought the dirt moving kind. Kind of wish I would have had a chance to use it myself. It was the best for moving dirt at the time, similar to a slip.

My brothers and I loved to walk the pasture and watch the other kind, dung beetles. Always admired them for their great effort. Wish I could find some again in order to watch them awhile. Would like for my grandsons to have a chance to see them. Yes, they are still around and are shown on television nature shows every so often. Not like seeing them in person however.
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  #8  
Old 08/20/08, 01:33 AM
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We had some in our driveway earlier this summer moving dog poop off of the driveway. LOL...hubby called them "garbagemen".
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  #9  
Old 08/20/08, 07:51 AM
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Good point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ravenlost View Post
We had some in our driveway earlier this summer moving dog poop off of the driveway. LOL...hubby called them "garbagemen".
Your husband brings up a good point---we need to remember that ants, maggots, vultures, dung beetles, magpies, crows, etc. all do a service to mankind at ridding us of waste, roadkill, etc.
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  #10  
Old 08/20/08, 07:57 AM
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DH saw a really big one earlier this summer. I hope to see more around. We try not to use chemical wormers more than absolutely necessary and avoid chemical fertilizers too.
Yeah, dung beetles.
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  #11  
Old 08/20/08, 08:22 AM
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Southeast MO
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Bet it's been over 20 years
since I'e seen one. Of course we don't have any manure here, except for chickens. They must not be interested in that kind. LOL

I'm from the deep south and we called them tumble bugs too.
Last edited by homebody; 08/20/08 at 08:25 AM.
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  #12  
Old 08/20/08, 08:48 AM
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I am wondering if I haven't seen them since I was a kid because they are not around or I simply have lost the fascination and observation skills I had as a youngster. I remember them in the lane working the cow pies. Always good for a sit down and watch. I haven't had cow pies around here in years so maybe that's why I haven't seen them.
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  #13  
Old 08/20/08, 09:07 AM
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still here is Ga.
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  #14  
Old 08/20/08, 10:11 AM
 
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They are alive and well here in Texas...do you know the difference between a cowboy and a tumblebug ? A cowboy rounds up and cuts out and a tumblebug cuts out and rounds out ! LOL....just had to add additional information......
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  #15  
Old 08/20/08, 10:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GrannyG View Post
They are alive and well here in Texas...do you know the difference between a cowboy and a tumblebug ? A cowboy rounds up and cuts out and a tumblebug cuts out and rounds out ! LOL....just had to add additional information......
LOL! Been awhile since I heard that one! Saw a few the other day hard at work...dung beetles that is.
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  #16  
Old 08/20/08, 10:51 AM
 
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pour ons
ivomec has just about eradicated the poor dung beetle in the U. S..Wonder why our glorious EPA has allowed this to happen and I suppose the USDA has their head so far up Tyson's and Monsantos --- that they don't want it even mentioned.Creates a huge fly problem.
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  #17  
Old 08/20/08, 11:33 AM
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Wasn't "Tumblebug" the name of a game from the 50's or 60's?

And I also remember this tumblebug from my youth:

http://www.ridezone.com/rides/tumblebug/index.htm
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  #18  
Old 08/20/08, 12:08 PM
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Yes I remember them. Aren't they a green bug with a piece of string dangling behind? lol. I have been seeing a few lately. First ones I've seen in a few years. Eddie
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  #19  
Old 08/20/08, 01:09 PM
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DH & his siblings would often go out to the pasture hill near dusk with the badminton racquets & wollop as many flying June bugs as they could - great entertainment!
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  #20  
Old 08/20/08, 08:48 PM
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Yes, they are still in upstate South Carolina. We call them "Tumble Turds."
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