SMALL FIVE
PART 4MEET THE
Little 5 series
800
The number of dung beetle
species in South Africa.DUNG BEETLE
They make the best clean-up crew and live on every continent except chilly Antarctica.
These little eco-warriors are fascinating
Research by Katleho SelwadiCLEAN-UP CREW
A rhino in the grasslands lifts his tail and
makes a poo... within minutes thousands of
dung beetles have used their excellent
sense of smell to hone in on the mound and
soon it is swarming with them. Dung beetles
just love poo. They eat it, some live in it, and
they lay their eggs in it. All the while they are
performing a very important ecological role.
They help to dispose of the poo, fertilise the
soil and keep pests like flies at bay. Win-win
for everyone, we guess!READY FOR MY
CLOSE-UP!
If you ever wondered what a
dung beetle looks like
magnified, you now have the
answer... Dunno about you, but
we think he could use a shave.Scientists have figured
out that dung beetles
can navigate at night
using the stars.DID YOU
KNOW?
Dung beetles go into
a sleepy state in
winter called a torpor.
So who does the dirty
work while they’re not
around? Termites!The number of dung beetle 5,000
species in the world.5-50mm
The length of a dung beetle.