Driving around with my friend and tracker, Jerry Hambana, he drew my attention to how few dung beetles there have been over the last few weeks.
At the height of summer (the time of year dung beetles are most active) we are usually having to swerve around heaps of dung writhing with the insects so as not to crush them.
But oddly enough, the roads have been devoid of these ecologically important decomposers.
Dung beetles fight over fresh zebra dung. Usually the roads are swarming with them but not at the moment.
After discussing it with Jerry we both had an inkling that the lack of dung beetles had something to do with the exorbitant amount of rain Londolozi has received lately.
In search of an explanation I immediately turned to Google but came up with nothing definitive. So as an alternative I asked guides and trackers from Londolozi as well as people at other game reserves where I knew large rainfall had occurred whether they too had noticed a drop in dung beetle activity and if so, why they thought it was happening.
Everybody confirmed that fewer dung beetles were being seen as of late and had similar theories which has helped shed some light.
With all the rain we have had, it is possible that many of the dung piles which dung beetles are attracted to have been washed away not allowing the beetles to do their job. This has been noticeable whilst being caught in a downpour out in the bush and seeing the roads literally turning into rivers. Another factor could be that even if a dung pile is found, the ground as well as the dung is just too wet to roll effectively. If you have ever watched a dung beetle craft a ball of dung, you will have noticed how crucial the loose substrate is that the dung has landed on, in making an intact spherical ball that doesn’t fall apart. Where as in these saturated conditions, the sodden soil is unlikely to stick to the beginnings of a rolled dung ball, nor is the dung going to be firm enough to keep its shape.
You can see how the loose grainy substrate sticks to the dung ball helping it become firm enough to maintain its shape. With the ground being so damp, this might not be possible.
The other fascinating explanation could have something to do with the dung beetles navigation system being obscured. Studies show that dung beetles use the sun, other skylight cues such as the angle of light when the sun is obscured, the moon and even the Milky Way galaxy to navigate their way from a freshly located dung pile back to their intended housing, feeding or breeding spot. This is backed by evidence that the percentage error of a dung beetle orientating itself is almost doubled when the sun is at its apex around midday as there are fewer points of reference. This leads to a noticeable decrease in dung beetle activity around midday. With there being such dense cloud cover for extended periods of time during this rainy spell it is possible that dung beetles go into a state of inactivity so as to conserve energy, rather than walking around in disoriented circles.
There are over 800 species of dung beetle in Southern Africa alone. The Telecoprids, or ball-rolling dung beetles try exit the dung pile in a straight line back to their intended dwelling so as to create as much space between them and conspecifics as quickly as possible so that the chances of their ball being stolen are slim.
I find observations such as this one – that cannot be proven with absolute certainty – highly intriguing because it forces you into a place of questioning using evidence as well as your imagination. It also makes you look at your surroundings from a different perspective and appreciate how something such as a dung beetle is as affected by the elements just as much as us, if not more.
As the sun comes out in the next few weeks (hopefully) I’ll be keeping an eye on the dung beetle activity to see if our theory is correct.
Hi there, Josh. What an interesting and informative article you have written here re the all important little Garbage Disposer in the Bush! I think your theories all have great merit. Perhaps it is more than one of them that are working together to make the lives of the little Dung Beetles a bit more difficult to work in! Thanks again. Wendy M
Hi Josh how interesting and intriguing is the ecological behaviour of dung beetles! Looking forward to reading what you find out next
Cool subject “all lives matter”
Wonderful things, they are so worthwhile to stop and watch . Africa also has an abundance of smaller fascinating creatures as well as stars such as leopard , rhino and elephant
Fun fact: The ancient Egyptians saw the dung beetle (scarab) rolling his dung ball as a representation of the sun god moving the sun across the sky.
Just from a viewers perspective, I believe a combination of the rains, the ball not holding together and the lack of the sun. All of the reasons!
Josh, a great read. It makes one realize just how nature adapts far better to accommodate the changing weather patterns. I’m sure they will be back as soon as the light is right and the soil just perfect for rolling those dung balls 😉😁💕
These dungbeetle are really fascinating creatures. I admire the perfectly shaped dungballs they roll. Just amazing. Sometimes it seems that such a ball is just too heavy to be moved forward by such a small animal. Nature is just incredibly complex and amazing.
Wonderful pictures!
I want to commend you and your tracker for being so observant about the dung beetles. The beautiful rain that you got in abundance, kept them from working. Good story and foto’s.
Thanks Josh! Great research and we agree with your theories!
Hi, thanks for the blog on the Dung Beetles. When many on safari tend to focus on the Big 5, there are so many other wonders all around. I feel they do not get the admiration and respect they deserve. Thanks for the spot light on these hard workers. Cheers!
This is a awesome blog! I definitely learned something new today. I always thought they just roll the dung to a spot where they are tired. They are actually so smart. Thanks for the awesome blog.
Thanks for highlighting the little acrobat that rolls a dung ball for a specific reason, not for fun. I’ve loved watching these insects form their sphere, taking care that there’s space for breeding and eventually the hatching of little beetles, and then take to the sandy path. With all the rain you’ve had, I can understand that the beetles would struggle to build their dung ball, let alone move it through the mud. I think your theories are sound and hopefully with dry days ahead, the roads/paths will once again become the motorways for the rested dung beetles.
Great post on the oft unappreciated dung beetle Josh. Please do keep us posted as to what you observe and if you are able to ground your suppositions. Fascinating!!
Hello Paul! Thank you for showing interest. We have seen an increase in dung beetle activity since things have dried out but not nearly as much as in the past. We’ll have to wait and see for a bit longer. Maybe there will be more activity nearer the winter months?
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Hi Josh, interestingly the reserve roads in northern Zululand the week after your article was written, were teeming with busy beetles. The sun had begun to dry things up after the storms. I would be interested to know if they have emerged at Londolozi since?
Hi Eloise. There certainly has been an increase in dung beetle activity since the rains have slowed down but definitely not as much as normal. Perhaps they are still waiting underground or have moved to drier parts… Thank you for your comment.
That is quite intriguing – they are such an interesting species.