dung beetles at manure

male and female rolling dung ball

Class: Hexapoda (animals with six legs - includes all insects)
Order: Coleoptera (beetles)
    coleo = sheath and ptera = wings (singular is pteron)
    This name refers to the hardened front wings of beetles.
Family: Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles)
Species: Canthon sp.
Common Name: dung beetle or tumblebug (not species specific)
Date: 2001 July 21
Place: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
    stable grounds at Frijole Ranch on horse / mule dung

Dung beetles are scarabs related to those, perhaps more familiar ones, from the remake of the movie "The Mummy" although I am not aware of any species with the flesh eating behavior portrayed in the picture. The beetles pictured (there are a large number in the scene) form the dung into small balls which they then roll away and bury. Eggs, laid in the ball, hatch and the larvae feed on the the ball of dung. The sacred scarabs of ancient Egypt were dung beetles.

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