DUNG BEETLES need FOOD to prosper – so when you have abundant pastures – you will have abundant dung beetle populations. Burrowing Dung Beetles increase rainfall penetration to grow more pastures to feed more dung beetles. Most areas of Australia will have native dung beetles that feed on marsupial droppings.
EASY to MAKE a TRAP to determine your local types. Fill a large tray with fresh cow dung slurry (add water). Leave it out overnight. In the morning place contents into a tub of water. Beetles will float to the top. Results will vary according to season = Winter verses Summer.
You may already have 5 or more species at work. Scarab Beetles are also attracted to blood from a sheep kill. Dung Beetles are a source of food for Crows + Ibis + Emu.
Beetle activity varies according to temperatures and available moisture in ground. It may also be feasible to construct human toilets that utilise dung beetles. That’s a project to ponder?
STORY via LINK ABOVE = From BioChar to NitroChar is worth a look at how we collect and value add sheep manure. ALSO: Currently testing the addition of human urine to sheep manure that you can see how manure is collected in BioChar Story.
Castings from burrowing beetles on sand country. It will take about 3 days for this cow pat manure to be buried.
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Wheelie Bin cut off at base is filled with a slurry of fresh grass fed cow manure. Water may be added to wash nutrients into garden. After a few weeks the bin is lifted – contents will then have had time to decompose weed seeds. LOCATION: Long Yard Garden.
Slurry made from fermented animal offal is being fed into a future tree hole. Dung Beetles will now start working this patch.
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