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1983•New Zealand EntomologistRequires access

Preliminary investigations of dung removal and flight biology of the Mexican dung beetleCopris incertusin Northland (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

R. H. Blank, H.R. Blank, Mark H. Olson

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Abstract

The Mexican dung beetle Copris incertus Say is established on pastoral grazing land to the northeast of Whangarei city, where it is common on both volcanic (brown earth) and clay (yellow-brown earth) soils. Flights occurred regularly over the spring, summer, and autumn of 1979/80 and 1980/81 when rainfall was above average. Flight was considered important in the dispersal into new areas as well as in the colonisation of fresh dung. Sheep dung was more effectively buried than cattle and horse dung. The benefits of the Mexican dung beetle to pastoral agriculture in Northland appear limited by slow rate of dung removal and inactivity during dry summer periods.

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What this paper is about

The Mexican dung beetle Copris incertus Say is established on pastoral grazing land to the northeast of Whangarei city, where it is common on both volcanic (brown earth) and clay (yellow-brown earth) soils. Flights occurred regularly over the spring, summer, and autumn of 1979/80 and 1980/81 when rainfall was above average. Flight was considered important in the dispersal into new areas as well as in the colonisation of fresh dung. Sheep dung was more effectively buried than cattle and horse dung. The benefits of the Mexican dung beetle to pastoral agriculture in Northland appear limited by slow rate of dung removal and inactivity during dry summer periods.

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OpenAlex reports 9 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

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Available abstract

The Mexican dung beetle Copris incertus Say is established on pastoral grazing land to the northeast of Whangarei city, where it is common on both volcanic (brown earth) and clay (yellow-brown earth) soils. Flights occurred regularly over the spring, summer, and autumn of 1979/80 and 1980/81 when rainfall was above average. Flight was considered important in the dispersal into new areas as well as in the colonisation of fresh dung. Sheep dung was more effectively buried than cattle and horse dung. The benefits of the Mexican dung beetle to pastoral agriculture in Northland appear limited by slow rate of dung removal and inactivity during dry summer periods.

Key concepts: Dung beetle, Scarabaeidae, Colonisation, Biological dispersal, Grazing, Biology, Ecology, Agronomy

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Preliminary investigations of dung removal and flight biology of the Mexican dung beetleCopris incertusin Northland (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) — Research Paper | ScholarLens