bobrammer
Well-known member
I've heard that dung beetles are effective for breaking up waste and returning it to the soil. Anybody have any experience with the little guys? Where do you go to buy a dung beetle? Thanks!
Source for dung beetles?
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ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
There a two things in life i aint going to buy #1 is a dog & now i guess #2 would be a dung beetle they are welcome on my land but ill be darn if im paying for them. what if they get mad and leave . :cboy:
One of my favorite subjects! :lol: Get ready for some fall-out. Dung beetles are such an asset to the pasture. They are as much an asset as earthworms, but people just don't care about bugs and worms and how Mother Nature works. It is the cheapest and best way to make things work for you.
After asking questions here on the board, I found that no one really was concerned with this bug. I guess they think I have a bumper sticker that says, "Have you hugged your dung beetle today?" I have not seen any activity in years, since I was looking for the rollers. Later on into the summer, I noticed that there was something tunneling around the fresh manure piles, piling dirt around the edges. I dug through it and found some small dung beetles, which are called the tunnelers. Their activity increases with rain when the soil softens and has some moisture in it. I took a gallon bucket where I found this evidence, and filled it up with the cow manure and then took it to my house which is several miles away from this pasture so I could see what happened. I dumped it in a dog pen that wasn't being used to keep man's best friend from eating the manure before the bugs did. (Hey Grandpa, what's for supper?) A dog will lick you in the face after eating the pile, and a dung beetle won't. The next day, I saw where they were tunneling underneath the pile and bringing the dirt above. The pile was gone in about ten days with a small amount of dried grass fragments left on the dirt, less than what a lawn mower leaves. But I would never have known that the pile had been there if I had not placed it there myself. I would have accused the dogs of eating it.
This is what the bug is supposed to do. Eliminate your pasture of manure, takes the nitrogen down to the soil to your grass roots. Over 75% of the nitrogen on top of the ground is lost in manure. It has to be around the roots of the grass to be utilized and underneath the surface for the earthworms to be attracted. The dung beetle also takes care of this task for you.
I have tried to find a source of these bugs myself, but no one sells them. I found a place in California that said they sold them, but I called and they said they do not have access to any colonies. He said they were working with someone in Oklahoma to get them.
The dung beetles work at different times of the season. Some come in the spring, some in the summer and some in the late summer. These around here show up in the summer, but since it has been so dry, their activity has been low. After these rains I hope to see them back to work.
In the winter, I see dung piles everywhere, but during this summer, I don't see hardly any. I have to look for them. So they are working more than I realize.
I used to see the rollers all the time, but I haven't seen any since I was a kid. I used to watch them and had no idea what they were up to, but thought it was pretty gross that they made a ball out of horse manure.
I would like to see the rollers come back or wish I had a source for these. I thought if I could release a few in the pastures, that they would multiply. Then I would be careful with the pesticides and wormers to prevent from killing them.
One thing you could do is find out which type likes the heat and dry conditions of Texas. Probably after a rain, you can walk a pasture to see if you see evidence of them working. I am sure some of your neighbors or co-ranchers wouldn't mind you doing that. They might look at you sorta funny when you told them what you are doing.
Seems if we lived in Australia, we would be in business. They seem to have more interest than people in the United States. I am sure if you bought a box of bugs from them, that the Postal Service would nuke them as they came over. But maybe not. But I am not sure if they can be purchased there either.
Good luck and let me know if you find a source.
After asking questions here on the board, I found that no one really was concerned with this bug. I guess they think I have a bumper sticker that says, "Have you hugged your dung beetle today?" I have not seen any activity in years, since I was looking for the rollers. Later on into the summer, I noticed that there was something tunneling around the fresh manure piles, piling dirt around the edges. I dug through it and found some small dung beetles, which are called the tunnelers. Their activity increases with rain when the soil softens and has some moisture in it. I took a gallon bucket where I found this evidence, and filled it up with the cow manure and then took it to my house which is several miles away from this pasture so I could see what happened. I dumped it in a dog pen that wasn't being used to keep man's best friend from eating the manure before the bugs did. (Hey Grandpa, what's for supper?) A dog will lick you in the face after eating the pile, and a dung beetle won't. The next day, I saw where they were tunneling underneath the pile and bringing the dirt above. The pile was gone in about ten days with a small amount of dried grass fragments left on the dirt, less than what a lawn mower leaves. But I would never have known that the pile had been there if I had not placed it there myself. I would have accused the dogs of eating it.
This is what the bug is supposed to do. Eliminate your pasture of manure, takes the nitrogen down to the soil to your grass roots. Over 75% of the nitrogen on top of the ground is lost in manure. It has to be around the roots of the grass to be utilized and underneath the surface for the earthworms to be attracted. The dung beetle also takes care of this task for you.
I have tried to find a source of these bugs myself, but no one sells them. I found a place in California that said they sold them, but I called and they said they do not have access to any colonies. He said they were working with someone in Oklahoma to get them.
The dung beetles work at different times of the season. Some come in the spring, some in the summer and some in the late summer. These around here show up in the summer, but since it has been so dry, their activity has been low. After these rains I hope to see them back to work.
In the winter, I see dung piles everywhere, but during this summer, I don't see hardly any. I have to look for them. So they are working more than I realize.
I used to see the rollers all the time, but I haven't seen any since I was a kid. I used to watch them and had no idea what they were up to, but thought it was pretty gross that they made a ball out of horse manure.
I would like to see the rollers come back or wish I had a source for these. I thought if I could release a few in the pastures, that they would multiply. Then I would be careful with the pesticides and wormers to prevent from killing them.
One thing you could do is find out which type likes the heat and dry conditions of Texas. Probably after a rain, you can walk a pasture to see if you see evidence of them working. I am sure some of your neighbors or co-ranchers wouldn't mind you doing that. They might look at you sorta funny when you told them what you are doing.
Seems if we lived in Australia, we would be in business. They seem to have more interest than people in the United States. I am sure if you bought a box of bugs from them, that the Postal Service would nuke them as they came over. But maybe not. But I am not sure if they can be purchased there either.
Good luck and let me know if you find a source.
MoGal
Well-known member
try this link.... not sure if they still have a dung beetle "farm" in texas or not but I think if you contact the source of that article they can direct ya.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/dungbeetle.html
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/dungbeetle.html
MrBilly
Well-known member
Don't forget, they advertise that Cydectin DOES NOT KILL THE DUNG BEETLE.
Good piece Chuckie.
Billy
Good piece Chuckie.
Billy
Thanks Mr Billy. Speaking of Cydectin, just as you stated, in the new Livestock Concept's flier, that they advertise Cydectin as "Saves Dung Beetles." That is the first time I have seen that emphasized as a selling point. Maybe others are using Mother Natures free advantages to help out and to save a dollar.
MoGal, I have read that article a few times before. It is a good one and it shows the usefulness of the beetle. I think the lady that wrote that article did it for a college paper. Seems she did it for an Agriculture or Veterinarian class. I can't remember which one.
I've been looking for a source for a while. I haven't seen them in years. If anyone within an hours drive of southwest Ohio has some in their pasture I'd like to get a bucket of manure and bugs to see if I can 'seed' them in our pastures.
Tod Dague
Well-known member
The only one that I have been able to find. http://www.rinconvitova.com/ They are very expensive though. I'm doing pretty well with the native ones that I have, and I think I will stick with those.
Todd, that is the company that advertised the beetles in California that I had contacted before. They had not found a source to obtain them.
I have not heard of any people speak of seeing rollers on their property. I wonder if we have wiped them out here?
If someone had rollers on their property, they probably could catch and sell them to the public and make money at it. I have done searches where I find many people are looking for a source to purchase. They are tough bugs. I picked one up and put it in a plastic baggie to take to the house to see what kind it was. It stayed in the bag for two days acting like it was dead. When I took it out to compare it to a picture, he wanted to crawl off. I turned it loose on a pile and away it went. So, shipping them would not be that hard to do. Just have to Second Day Air them maybe in a cricket cage and maybe put something in the box that would keep them cool.
I have not heard of any people speak of seeing rollers on their property. I wonder if we have wiped them out here?
If someone had rollers on their property, they probably could catch and sell them to the public and make money at it. I have done searches where I find many people are looking for a source to purchase. They are tough bugs. I picked one up and put it in a plastic baggie to take to the house to see what kind it was. It stayed in the bag for two days acting like it was dead. When I took it out to compare it to a picture, he wanted to crawl off. I turned it loose on a pile and away it went. So, shipping them would not be that hard to do. Just have to Second Day Air them maybe in a cricket cage and maybe put something in the box that would keep them cool.
I had the vet out on a consultation about my cattle pen design a couple of years ago. I mentioned that I was in love with dung beetles. He looked at me like I was a loon.
I do love the critters!!!!!! :heart: :heart:
Aside from cow manure the little guys love dog poop. I have two dogs - one big, one medium. During the summer, I don't have to worry about cleaning up the yard - the wonderful dung beetle takes care of it for me. No sooner than my dogs leave the scene of the crime, the beetles are there. I hate it when they're gone.
I'm in Oklahoma - I think we should make the dung beetle our state insect.
I do love the critters!!!!!! :heart: :heart:
Aside from cow manure the little guys love dog poop. I have two dogs - one big, one medium. During the summer, I don't have to worry about cleaning up the yard - the wonderful dung beetle takes care of it for me. No sooner than my dogs leave the scene of the crime, the beetles are there. I hate it when they're gone.
I'm in Oklahoma - I think we should make the dung beetle our state insect.
I have noticed that they do take away the dog doo too. I wonder if they prefer one over the other? That makes me sick thinking about it. Ugh! I know they have to smell it to find it. I was thinking about how bad the fresh pile smelled that I ran over a few days ago. *Gag*
I live about 50 miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio. Normal winter temps will dip to 0 to -10 but not unusual to hit -20 on occasion. We had rollers in our pasture when I was a kid. I still remember my brothers trying to convince me that we had marbles in our pasture.
The farm we live on was cropped for years, we only got cattle here about 13 years ago. I keep hoping some beetles show up on their own but I don't know how far they'll travel. We also practice MIG and I don't know if that makes it harder for them to get established.
The farm we live on was cropped for years, we only got cattle here about 13 years ago. I keep hoping some beetles show up on their own but I don't know how far they'll travel. We also practice MIG and I don't know if that makes it harder for them to get established.
Dusty Britches
Well-known member
ALACOWMAN":y9ijhvrh said:
Ditto that -- except I will pay for a good dog. ;-)
I noticed that after a rain that thier activity greatly increases. When it is dry, you might not see them anywhere. If you aren't sure if you have them or not, check after a good rain when the soil is moist. Look for soil being brought to the surface about like an ant hill, but the soil will be in larger grains. I walked around yesterday and seems they were at every pile.
Still no rollers.
Still no rollers.
milesvb
Well-known member
chuckie,
...for the holistic rancher who has everything:
http://store.yahoo.com/texascountryrepo ... umbug.html
...for the holistic rancher who has everything:
http://store.yahoo.com/texascountryrepo ... umbug.html
Thanks milesvb, that is just what I have been lookin' for. Instead of using the golden calf, we could use the bronze tumble bug. I could start a new Church and call it the "Holy Rollers!" :roll:
milesvb
Well-known member
now that's a good one :lol:
