Talk about INSECTZ or get outta here:)

[Mr. Tallahassee]

Hey guys,

I have recently become interested in dung beetles, specifically to help my neighborhood naturally digest its canine droppings. I can see from my research however that there are many things that this group of insects can help with. I have also found that most species are more inclined to dine on the droppings of herbivores and omnivores. However one study found that they were not adverse to fox and dog droppings. See below the study. I have also read that different species prefer different moistures in dung and in their environment. I live in Florida (could you guess) and was looking for some help learning about the different species and maybe some help obtaining some. If there is not already research done I may do the testing myself to find a species that would be up for the task of helping my neighborhood. However if I do the research myself I will need help acquire different species and setting up a habitats for them. Is anyone up for helping?



Dung preference of the dung beetle Scarabaeus cristatus Fab (Coleoptera-Scarabaeidae) from Kuwait
Authors: Al-Houty W.; Al-Musalam F.
Source: Journal of Arid Environments, Volume 35, Number 3, 1997, pp. 511-516(7)
Publisher: Academic Press

Abstract:
Adult dung beetles, Scarabaeus cristatus , consume the fluid components of dung and bury whole dung as food for their larvae. When dung from three herbivorous animals, horse, camel and sheep, was offered, the beetles preferred the more fluid horse dung to the others. Sheep dung was preferred to the camel dung. The dungs of two carnivores, dog and fox, were also accepted but to a lesser extent than the herbivore dung.
Keywords: dung; dung beetle; Scarabaeus cristatus; Kuwait
Language: English
Document Type: Research article
Affiliations: Department of Zoology - Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Safat, 13060, Kuwait:

[Bugz]

I go out in the pasture with a stick... Is that what I should do? He eats it.

It will be fine if he eats it~~~

here is my dung beetle~~~

[February Beetle]

Nice Horn! Do you kill them or find them dead, may I ask?

[Bugz]

Nice Horn! Do you kill them or find them dead, may I ask?

This one was dead when I found him~

But you know, sometimes, I have to kill them for making specimen

[February Beetle]

Me too. look at what I found last night:


Golden Scarab, how beautiful!

[i_r_e_d]

wow... that is really pretty!

[David George]

it looks like a jewel and think about the jewel scarabs

[David George]

I have seen some near my house and in some forests in India they are green[mettalic] and beautiful.

[February Beetle]

Great! Do you have any photos? Those would be neat to see.

[sachin]

Hey! I have collected some beetles too, some measures less than 1mm. I haven't took photo yet but I will do that soon.

[Locus]

Hi! Here is foto of extremely small insect, that I saw at the window of my room.
At the another forum it was decribed as egg parasite from Eulophidae it's size less than millimeter.

[February Beetle]

Wow, that is tiny! Does anyone know how to go about pinning something like that? I am having some problems with very small beetles. I do have small pins, I guess maybe I just need more practice