Dor Beetle
Dor Beetle Facts
| Size | 0.6-1 inches (16-25 mm) |
| Speed | Unknown |
| Weight | 0.05-0.08 ounces (15-2,5 grams) |
| Lifespan | 2-3 years |
| Food | Fresh Dung |
| Predators | Birds, snakes |
| Habitat | Europe, North Africa |
| Order | Beetles |
| Suborder | Polyphaga |
| Family | Geotrupidae |
| Scientific name | Geotrupes stercorarius |
| Characteristics | Large black beetle, feeds on dung, has longitudinal grooves |
Main Characteristics
The common dung beetle, dumbledore or dor beetle, is one of about 150 dung beetle species found worldwide. In Europe alone, there are 59 species. They prefer habitats such as forests, fields, and steppes. These beetles are active both day and night and are capable of flying, although these little round creatures tend to be somewhat clumsy in the air.
Name
The scientific name is Geotrupes stercorarius. The term Geotrupes is derived from "geo" (earth) and "trupes" (to bore), which means it could be referred to as earth borer. The word "stercorarius" translates to "one who cleans out".
Life Style
Common dung beetles spend most of their time searching for fresh manure, finding a mate, and resting. They utilize day and night in different ways:
- During the day (ground activity): They crawl along forest paths, dig tunnels, and form dung balls.
- At night (flight activity): At dusk and during the night, they fly through the air. Since this requires a lot of energy, they take advantage of the cooler temperatures to avoid overheating. They buzz over meadows and forest edges in search of food. While they may be hard to see, you can hear them: they produce a deep buzzing sound.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
The Common Dung Beetle measures 0.6-1 inches (16-25 mm) in length. Its wing covers feature distinct longitudinal stripes or grooves adorned with small, dot-like indentations. On its pronotum, there is a prominent, large dot-like depression.
Diet
Nutrient-Rich Excrement
Dung beetles are herbivores. They feed on what we often want to dispose of quickly: feces. More specifically, they consume dung (the feces of herbivores). Why dung, you ask? It is usually not fully digested and contains remnants of grass along with a valuable liquid. This liquid is home to tiny organisms that the beetles particularly enjoy.
Especially from Cows and Horses
The dung beetle finds the feces of cows and horses particularly irresistible. It typically flies in circles around these animals in the evening, waiting for something to “drop” for it. However, some dung beetles also have a taste for mushrooms or humus.
But: Only Fresh Dung!
If dung has been lying around for a while, the dung beetle can no longer make use of it, as the “tasty” liquid inside has already dried up.
Behavior
Defense
Dung beetles are unable to defend themselves. Instead, they have three clever tricks up their sleeves:
1. Playing dead: They pull all their legs tightly against their body and remain completely still until the danger has passed. For many predators that react to movement, they become "invisible" like a small stone.
2. Scare sounds: If they find themselves in a bird's beak, they chirp loudly to startle the bird. Additionally, the sound is quite unpleasant for the bird. With a bit of luck, it might drop the beetle.
3. Stink defense: The final trick is a foul-smelling liquid that the beetle releases from its mouth to deter enemies.
Symbiosis: Dung beetles act as taxis for mites
The dung beetle has a nickname: "Lousy watchman." This is because small, golden-yellow mites often hitch a ride on its underside. They use the beetle as a taxi to travel from one dung pile to another. In return, they "pay" the beetle by cleaning its nest of flies and nematodes by eating them. This helps protect the dung beetle's larvae from competition for food. Researchers counted an impressive 2,300 mites from 17 different species on 118 dung beetles in a study!
Senses and Abilities
The Navigation Artists
Once the beetle has formed a dung ball, it must quickly move away from the location in a straight line. Why? This is the only way to ensure it won't be seen and that its ball won't be stolen by other beetles. To navigate, it uses a skill we lack: it can perceive the polarized light of the sky – even when it's cloudy. Additionally, it uses the sun and the moon as a compass.
The Chirping of Dung Beetles
How is it Created?
The Common Dung Beetle produces sounds through a process known as stridulation. Essentially, its body acts like a ratchet: it rubs its hind hips against its abdomen. Since the hips have tiny chitin teeth and the abdomen features many fine grooves, this rubbing creates a loud crunching sound.
What is its Purpose?
The chirping serves two main functions. On one hand, the sounds act as a defensive and alarm call against predators (like birds or badgers). On the other hand, the beetles use the vibrations underground for communication during brood care and mating, helping them coordinate in the deep tunnels. Given that these tunnels can be 3.3-10 feet (1-3 meters) deep, this is quite beneficial.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Common dung beetles face numerous predators. These include birds such as owls (tawny owl, wood owl), corvids (crows, magpies), and birds of prey (red kite). Additionally, mammals like badgers, wild boars, and bats, as well as predatory ground beetles, hunt them.
Human Impact
Medications in Livestock Farming
Cattle and sheep are frequently treated with medications for parasites (e.g., ivermectin). The animals excrete the active substance unchanged. When the dung beetle consumes this manure, it absorbs the poison. Even tiny amounts can cause developmental issues, low birth weight, or death in the larvae. Since these beetles play a crucial role in keeping pastures clean and enhancing the nitrogen cycle in the soil, researchers caution against the use of such medications.
Climate Change
The common dung beetle is significantly more sensitive to heat than its southern European relatives. This means that climate change threatens the delicate balance of soil aeration.
Importance for the Ecosystem
Dung beetles play a crucial role in nature. They transport dung deep into the ground, aerating the soil, stimulating the nitrogen cycle, and enriching the earth's fertility.
Whenever I go hiking, I always keep a watchful eye on the ground and sometimes help little dung beetles "cross the road" (the hiking path) by gently nudging them onto a leaf and setting them down on the other side - unfortunately, they often get stepped on.
Silke from animalfunfacts.net
Reproduction
Mating Season and Nest Building
The mating season starts in the spring. Males and females make a great team and demonstrate true teamwork: While the female digs tunnels underground, the male carries the excess soil up and out of the burrow.
Egg Laying and Care of Offspring
Insects are typically not known for parental care – dung beetles are a rare exception! The pair stays together to care for their young. They fill the underground brood chambers with dung balls (delicious!). The female lays an egg inside, adds more dung to the chamber, and seals it with clay. The larvae consume the stored food, grow for a year, and eventually pupate into adult beetles.
The Dor Beetle Is Related to:
- Forest Dung Beetle
- Minotaur Beetle
- Spring Dor Beetle
Animals in the Same Biome:
Sources:
- Lasting decrease in functionality and richness: Effects of ivermectin use on dung beetle communities (https://www.sciencedirect.com)
- Dung beetles ignore landmarks for straight-line orientation (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Sky compass orientation in the central complex of the dung beetle brain (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Mites associated with world geotrupid beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) (https://www.biotaxa.org)
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