How Dung Beetles Support Pasture Ecosystems and Help Control Flies and Internal Parasites
Warm weather often brings challenges to farmers and ranchers, notably the control of flies and internal parasites. Both problems are connected by their breeding habitats, often livestock manure.
Flies that breed in manure include many non-biting species and certain biting flies. These "filth breeders" are attracted by odors associated with manure. Some biting flies prefer laying eggs in moist vegetation or soil, ensuring larvae have organic matter for feeding.
Internal parasites follow a life cycle starting with adults shedding eggs within an animal’s digestive system. Eggs are then deposited in manure, hatch into larvae, and migrate onto grass, where grazing animals ingest them, continuing the cycle.
Breaking these breeding cycles significantly reduces fly and parasite populations, and dung beetles play a crucial role here.
Dung beetles (Order Coleoptera, Family Scarabaeidae) include over 90 U.S. species, though only about 10-12 effectively bury manure. Among these, there are three main groups:
· Rollers ("tumble bugs"): They roll manure into balls, deposit eggs inside, and bury them underground, providing a safe environment for larvae.
· Tunnelers: These beetles bury brood balls beneath or near manure piles.
· Dwellers: Live within manure piles without forming brood balls.
Dung beetles are strong flyers, able to detect fresh manure within a range of approximately 10 miles. They first feed on manure liquid, drying it out and significantly disrupting the fly breeding cycle. While feeding, beetles also damage fly eggs, further controlling fly populations.
Additionally, dung beetles help reduce internal parasite populations by drying and removing manure, destroying the environment necessary for parasite egg incubation.
However, widespread use of chemical wormers in livestock inadvertently harms dung beetles, as these poisons pass through animals and contaminate manure. To support dung beetle populations:
· Avoid routine worming; instead, conduct fecal tests and worm only if necessary.
· Opt for less toxic worming medications and limit chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to promote natural soil health.
Dung beetle tunneling also aerates the soil, improves water retention, and enriches it with nitrogen and carbon, enhancing pasture quality and biodiversity. Healthy soil supports beneficial microbes, fungi, bacteria, and earthworms.
Tests have shown dung beetles can reduce fly populations by as much as 95% on farms. Though purchasing dung beetles can be expensive, encouraging their natural presence through non-toxic, chemical-free practices is a sustainable and effective strategy.
Support your local dung beetles and embrace organic, toxin-free agriculture to build healthier ecosystems and thriving pastures.