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Dung Beetle

Dung beetles are beetles that feed partly or exclusively on feces. All of these species belong to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea; most of them to the subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae of the family Scarabaeidae. This beetle can also be referred to as the scarab beetle. As most species of Scarabaeinae feed exclusively on feces, that subfamily is often dubbed true dung beetles. There are dung-feeding beetles which belong to other families, such as the Geotrupidae (the earth-boring dung beetle). The Scarabaeinae alone comprises more than 5,000 species.

 

Seen @ Addo elephant Parc, South-Africa (site of the largest remaining population of the endangered flightless dung beetle (Circellium bacchus))

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBXmhnf0ryE

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Uploaded on January 11, 2011
Taken on December 31, 2010