Quick answer
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on animal droppings, and many are famous for rolling dung into balls and pushing them away to bury as food or a brood chamber. They are remarkably strong for their size and play a vital role in recycling waste, improving soil, and reducing pests. Found on every continent except Antarctica, dung beetles include species that roll, tunnel, or simply dwell in dung.
Key takeaway
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on animal droppings, and many are famous for rolling dung into balls and pushing them away to bury as food or a brood chamber. They are remarkably strong for their size and play a vital role in recycling waste, improving soil, and reducing pests. Found on every continent except Antarctica, dung beetles include species that roll, tunnel, or simply dwell in dung.
Dung Beetle overview
Dung Beetle (Scarabaeus sacer) is a insect listed here as Least Concern. Typical weight about 0.003 kg; lifespan around Around 1 to 3 years.
Dung Beetle ecology
Diet: Coprophagous (animal dung). Habitat: Grasslands, farmland, forests, and deserts. Movement and social systems reflect those pressures across the native range.
Dung Beetles and people
Learn before you travel or keep related pets. Wild dung beetles are not toys; captive care needs species-specific husbandry.
Status and further reading
Conservation label in our guides: Least Concern. See the full Dung Beetle profile for taxonomy, FAQs, and related topic guides on this site.
Rollers, tunnelers, and dwellers
Dung beetles use dung in different ways depending on the species. Rollers shape dung into balls and push them away to bury, tunnelers dig down beneath a dung pat to store it, and dwellers simply live within the dung itself. The rolling species are the most famous, navigating in straight lines sometimes using the sun, the moon, or even the band of the Milky Way.
Remarkable strength
Dung beetles are among the strongest animals for their size. Some species can pull loads many hundreds of times their own body weight, the equivalent of a person hauling several loaded trucks. This strength helps them move dung balls far larger and heavier than themselves across uneven ground.
Sources
Dung Beetle FAQs
What are key facts about dung beetles?
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on animal droppings, and many are famous for rolling dung into balls and pushing them away to bury as food or a brood chamber. They are remarkably strong for their size and play a vital role in recycling waste, improving soil, and reducing pests. Found on every continent except Antarctica, dung beetles include species that roll, tunnel, or simply dwell in dung.
What is the scientific name of the dung beetle?
Scarabaeus sacer — used in research and conservation listings for dung beetles.
What do dung beetles eat?
Dung Beetles eat animal dung, with seasonal and regional variation in Grasslands, farmland, forests, and deserts.
Where do dung beetles live?
They are associated with Grasslands, farmland, forests, and deserts. Local presence depends on food, cover, and human land use.
What is the conservation status of dung beetles?
Listed in our guides as Least Concern. Check the IUCN Red List and national assessments for the latest formal category.