Common Dung Beetles in Pastures of South-eastern Australia

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tyndale-Biscoe
Keyword(s):  
Dung Beetles ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Current Distributions ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

This is a colourful, useful and easy-to-read account of dung beetles in south-eastern Australia. The book tells why the CSIRO brought dung beetles to Australia, what they do, where they live, how to recognise them and how to help them spread. Seventeen species of imported dung beetles are described and illustrated in colour. Native beetles and beetles other than dung beetles found in dung pads are also described. Maps of the predicted and current distributions of each species follow the descriptions.

Dung burial by native and introduced dung beetles (Scarabaeidae)

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1799 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tyndale-Biscoe
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The quantity of dung buried and shredded by dung beetles at four sites in south-eastern Australia was found to be positively correlated with the dry weight (biomass) of beetles in the pads. Each of the four sites has two abundant native species of dung beetles, and one to five well-established introduced species present. At Uriarra, where only one introduced species is common, a mean of 7 . 2 l � 1.94% (1990-91) and 6.01�1.31% (1991-92) of the dung was buried per week. At Fyshwick, with two common introduced species of dung beetles, 22.27� 4.03% (1990-91) and 12 04�2 72% (1991-92) of the dung was buried per week. Braidwood, with four introduced species, had a mean of 15.81� 2.82% (1991-92) weekly dung buried, and Araluen, with five introduced species, had 30.18�8- 73% (1992-93) dung buried per week. Dung beetle numbers were low at all sites during the first half of 1991-92 season due to a drought throughout the region. Dung shredding averaged less than 12% over the seasons at all sites, but fluctuated from 0 to 70%, depending mainly on beetle numbers in the dung pads on individual occasions. Increasing numbers of exotic dung beetles throughout the pastoral areas of Australia should result in increased amounts of dung buried and shredded, with correspondingly increased benefits to Australian agriculture.

Attempts to measure the influence of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on the field mortality of the bush fly Musca vetustissima Walker (Diptera: Muscidae) in south-eastern Australia

1983 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. H. Wallace ◽  
M Tyndale-Biscoe
Keyword(s):  
Total Mortality ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Predatory Mites ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
The Other ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
South Eastern Australia

AbstractThe immature stages of Musca vetustissima Wlk. in dung pads in south-eastern Australia suffered a high mortality through the actions of a complex array of dung organisms, including dung beetles (scarabaeids), predatory beetles (hydrophilids and histerids) and predatory mites (Macrocheles glaber (Müll.)). At times of high dung beetle numbers, it was possible to demonstrate a relationship between fly mortality and dung beetle numbers. Single-species dung beetle populations appeared to be as effective as multiple-species populations in reducing fly numbers, except that some benefit was derived from a combination of day- and night-flying species. When dung beetle numbers were low, their influence could not be measured because of the high mortalities already caused by the other dung fauna. It is suggested that in those circumstances any mortality caused by the dung beetles may simply have become substituted for an existing mortality caused by other fauna without adding to the total mortality.

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