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Dung Beetle

What is dung beetle?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

family Scarabaeidae[2]
order Coleoptera[2]
subfamily Scarabaeinae[2]
diet feces / dung[1]
behavior rolls dung into balls[1]

A dung beetle is a beetle that feeds on dung and often rolls, buries, or uses it for laying eggs and feeding larvae [1].

Context

A dung beetle is a beetle that feeds on dung, and in many descriptions it is also a beetle that rolls, buries, or uses dung for laying eggs and feeding larvae [1]. The term is used for a group within the scarab beetles, especially the subfamily Scarabaeinae [2]. Dung beetles are commonly found where excrement is present [3]. They are categorized into rollers, tunnelers, and dwellers [3]. This group is closely related to the scarab beetle, but not all scarabs are dung beetles [2].

Documented claims

  • Dung beetles form manure into a ball using their head and antennae. [2]
  • In some species, the ball can be as large as an apple. [2]
  • The female may deposit eggs in balls of dung, and the larvae later feed on them. [2]

Related

Hercules BeetleBoth are large, well-known beetles that people often encounter in nature guides.Stag BeetleBoth are common beetles with distinctive appearances that readers may want to compare.

Questions and answers

What are dung beetles known for?

Dung beetles are known for rolling dung into balls, which they use for feeding and reproduction [1]. Some species can roll balls as large as an apple [2].

What is another name for a dung beetle?

Another name is tumblebug, and they are sometimes called scarab beetles, though the term 'true dung beetles' refers to the subfamily Scarabaeinae [1].

How do dung beetles reproduce?

The female may deposit eggs in balls of dung, and the larvae later feed on them [2].

Sources

  1. dung beetle — kids.britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Dung beetle — uwm.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. DUNG BEETLE Definition & Meaning — merriam-webster.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature