Geotrupes spiniger
Dor beetle at Murrumbateman, NSW
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| Geotrupes spiniger | KimPullen | 3 Nov 2016 | |
| Geotrupes spiniger | KimPullen | 3 Nov 2016 | |
| Onthophagus sp. (genus) | MichaelMulvaney | 27 Oct 2016 | |
| Unverified | SallyandPeter | 20 Sep 2016 |
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User's notes
Would love to know what the beetle is but what are the mites on it also
11 comments
24 Sep 2016
I think it is a native dung beetle Onthophagus sp. Don't know about the mite
24 Sep 2016
Hi Michael, It could be a Dung beetle we have lots of it around. It think the mites were eating it. It was stlll alive when I took the photo. Thanks, Peter
4 Nov 2016
The mites are probably just hitching a ride on the beetle, i.e. they are phoretic rather than parasitic. If that is the case they will not be harming the beetle.
4 Nov 2016
Thanks Kim. The beetle did die but that may not have been a result of the mites. Maybe like a scale on a sick plant.
4 Nov 2016
Dor Beetle is a European Beetle introduced to deal with cattle dung, you can read a lttle bit about it at
http://maxa.maf.govt.nz/sff/about-projects/search/09-079/dung-beetle-factsheet-four.pdf
http://maxa.maf.govt.nz/sff/about-projects/search/09-079/dung-beetle-factsheet-four.pdf
4 Nov 2016
Thanks Michael, really interesting. Hope my horse drenches don't do too much damage
5 Nov 2016
The effects of the antiparasitic drug, ivermectin, on the development and survival of the dung-breeding fly, Orthelia cornicina (F.) and the scarabaeine dung beetles, Copris hispanus L., Bubas bubalus (Oliver) and Onitis belial F.
•K. G. Wardhaugh,
•Herminia Rodriguez-Menendez
•K. G. Wardhaugh,
•Herminia Rodriguez-Menendez
5 Nov 2016
Thanks Kim. I looked at the extract of that article and it is a very potent and effective drug. It must effect native insects as well, is there any research that you know of on that. Peter
5 Nov 2016
Native dung beetles are less common in cow and horse dung but their larvae would be killed by ivermectin. There is an alternative vermifuge in the same group that is less toxic to dung beetles but I can't recall the name Chemical alternatives to treatment of cattle with Ivermectin
Chemical alternatives to treatment of cattle with Ivermectin
(1991)
Chemical alternatives to treatment of cattle with Ivermectin. McCracken, D & Bignal, E
Chemical alternatives to treatment of cattle with Ivermectin
(1991)
Chemical alternatives to treatment of cattle with Ivermectin. McCracken, D & Bignal, E
Location information
- Coordinates 149.067702-34.974459
- Places Murrumbateman, NSW
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 20 Sep 2016 05:26 PM Recorded on
- SallyandPeter Recorded by
Collections
- SallyandPeter Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Geotrupes spiniger Other beetles Beetles (Coleoptera) Insects
Species information
- Geotrupes spiniger Scientific name
- Dor beetle Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Exotic
- Non-invasive or negligible
- 675.14m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information