dung beetles

agmantoo · #1 07/10/08, 03:54 PM

From reading I have determined that some areas of the USA have had dung beetles from Africa introduced. I have also determined that in Australia one can buy dung beetles. However, here in the USA I have not been able to locate a source of dung beetles for introduction to my beef farm. My observation is that I only have one type of beetle and I would like to get some additional species. Does anyone know of a source or are aware of having a variety of dung beetles in their area. I would be happy to pay some children to collect the dung balls than contain the egg/larva. Any takers?

Sabrina67 · #2 07/10/08, 04:40 PM

We never see any Dung Beetles anymore..My mom and I were talking about that not long ago ( I know ...we have no life...).
When I was small I rememeber they were everywhere. Interesting...I may start looking closer to see if I can spot any. LOL

mistletoad · #3 07/10/08, 04:53 PM

We have seen them - they seem to like dog poo, but I haven't seen any in the cow pasture. Thinking about it I haven't seen any around the old dog kennel either - the chickens probably got them all after the dog wasn't there to keep them away.

wstevenl · #4 07/10/08, 05:00 PM

We have dung beetles on our 10 acres. We just started grazing this year, on land that was row crops before. I don't know what kind we have but they bury lots of cow patties. They try to use the horse dung but don't do it as well.

There could be fewer in people's pastures because of using chemical wormers. We haven't used any yet and hope to just stick to alternative wormers.

topside1 · #5 07/10/08, 06:07 PM

Agman, I have the dung beetles here at Topside1...I have the little black ones about 1/2 inch long and the big black boys (one inch plus) that look like rhinos. The rhino types usually one or two per pattie. They make large holes about 4 inch away from the poo pile and carry their food to their dug dung hole. The little ones live directly under the pie.

cowkeeper · #6 07/10/08, 08:31 PM

Oohh, I've got tons of dung beetles here in Canada. They have those patties full of holes in no time

Interesting comment about chemical wormers, because I very seldom need to use them, and wonder if they do impact the beetles.
I wonder if they are allowed to cross the border . Would they need the CAN tattoo in one ear, along with the RFID tags and blood tests (LOL).

genebo · #7 07/10/08, 10:04 PM

I spent a lot of time trying to find some dung beetles a year or two ago. I never did find any. I use Muscovy ducks to break up the manure patties.

I just recently heard that some wormers kill dung beetles.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

furholler · #8 07/14/08, 10:02 AM

I am interested in this thread as well. I attended a talk that Greg Judy gave last year and he mentioned that you can buy dung beetles, but he never did say where. They are a good gauge of your soil and land health. In other words, the more the merrier.

chickenista · #9 07/14/08, 12:02 PM

DH saw a dung beetle this AM!! It sounds silly, but I was thrilled. It means our place is coming back to life!

texklemer · #10 07/15/08, 09:40 AM

Here's a pretty interesting video on Dung Beetles. it's amazing how nature has it own little garbage men

http://www.24-7agtv.com/Joomla/index...id=79&Itemid=1

genebo · #11 07/15/08, 10:41 AM

http://www.insect-sale.com/shop/stor...m=Scarabaeidae

$100 minimum order gets you 34 sets of 6 beetles (204 beetles) for $102 + $25 shipping = $127.

Then don't use Ivermectin to worm your cattle. Cydectin is better for dung beetles.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

Up North · #12 07/15/08, 10:53 AM

How can you tell if you have dung beetles on your property? What do the cow patties look like when the beetles are processing them? When we first moved to our farm a year ago I saw a pair rolling their little dung ball. I haven't seen any since then. I sure hope they are still around!

Heather

agmantoo · #13 07/15/08, 11:15 AM

genebo, I believe those beetles are dried and mounted.

agmantoo · #14 07/15/08, 11:18 AM

Up North, read this when the opportunity permits.
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/...ungbeetles.pdf

genebo · #15 07/15/08, 05:02 PM

Agmantoo,

Are you serious? Dried and mounted? Man, was I fooled.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

agmantoo · #16 07/15/08, 08:22 PM

furholler
I am going to attempt to contact Greg Judy. I will reply here with his response.

Are you folks aware that with certain dung beetles the manure is placed in the ground while fresh enough that the nitrogen is not lost thus resulting on the need for less fertilizer?

translplant · #17 07/15/08, 08:43 PM

Agmantoo - If you get Greg Judy to respond that would be great! I love reading what he writes in the Stockman Grass Farmer and I hear he has a new book out.

Regarding dung beetles, we must have a ton of them because the manure piles have a zillion holes in them within a day or two. This mostly happens in the warmer months and we only used Cydectin to worm.

During the cooler months I have a 4 x 6 ('ish) drag harrow that I attach to my ATV to spread the manure piles. The kids and their friends love this chore too, by the way. Aiming for the piles and gunning it makes chores fun!

~Tomboy~ · #18 07/15/08, 09:01 PM

We have them here in Texas also.
As was mentioned in a previous post, Cydectin is the only wormer that I know of that won't harm the dung beetles.
I have a picture of a beetle rolling a ball that was taken on our property about four years ago, just can't figure out how to post it.
Hey Cloverbell, we do the same thing you do with our drag harrow & ATV

furholler · #19 07/15/08, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

furholler
I am going to attempt to contact Greg Judy. I will reply here with his response.

Are you folks aware that with certain dung beetles the manure is placed in the ground while fresh enough that the nitrogen is not lost thus resulting on the need for less fertilizer?

Great! I wait in anticipation. I haven't seen any this year at our place, yet, is it too early? Our chickens do a great job of spreading the manure, will that affect the beetle activity?

translplant · #20 07/16/08, 08:10 AM

I say whoever gets to the piles first (chickens, beetles, ducks) have at it! I would imagine the chicken and duck's motivation is the bugs they can peck out of there.

Tomboy - do you find the tines up or down on your harrow work best? Sometimes I worry that the tines down is tearing up the field but down doesn't do the job well enough.