What Are Dung Beetles?

Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. Some species of dung beetles can bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night. Many dung beetles, known as rollers, roll dung into round balls, which are used as a food source or breeding chambers. Others, known as tunnelers, bury the dung wherever they find it.

What is the purpose of a dung beetle?

Dung beetles play a crucial role in natural and agricultural ecosystems. The majority are coprophagous, using the faecal material of various animals for food and to provide brood balls for the larvae, which live in chambers or burrows in the ground.

Do dung beetles eat human poop?

1. Dung Beetles Eat Poop. Dung beetles are coprophagous insects, meaning they eat the excrement of other organisms. Although not all dung beetles eat poop exclusively, they all eat feces at some point in their lives.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.