Common dung beetle
| Common dung beetle | ||||||||||||
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Common dung beetle ( Aphodius fimetarius ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Aphodius fimetarius | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The Common dung beetles ( Aphodius fimetarius ) is a beetle from the family of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae).
features
The beetles reach a body length of 5-8 millimeters. The color of the common dung beetle is variable. The pronotum is usually black and has red-brown front corners, which are sometimes missing. The elytra are mostly solid red-brown, but there can also be a dark spot in the last quarter. Some specimens also have completely black wing covers. The pronotum is finely dotted between larger points and bordered at the base.
Synonyms
- Scarabaeus bicolor Geoffroy at Fourcroy , 1785
- Aphodius fimetivorus Gistel , 1857
Similar species
In Central Europe there are over 80 other species of the genus Aphodius, of which only a few have reddish-brown elytra, but then these mostly have dark spots and are less reddish. The very rare but significantly larger Aphodius scrutator with a length of 10 to 15 mm has single-colored, strong red-brown elytra . The black variant of the common dung beetle, on the other hand, is to be confused with many other species that are also common. If you look very superficially, you can confuse the species with distantly related scarab beetles, such as the common garden beetle or species of the genus Omaloplia , which are clearly hairy. There is also a certain similarity to some bark beetles .
Occurrence
The animals are widespread in Europe. They also inhabit Asia and North Africa and have also been introduced into North America . They live mainly in the open where there are cattle and horses.
Way of life
The beetles can be found flying in search of food from early spring to autumn. They feed on cattle and horse manure and can also be found on carrion. After mating, the females lay the eggs directly in the feces . The larvae feed on the feces. When they are old enough they pupate. The finished beetle hatches from the pupa.
credentials
- ↑ a b Aphodius fimetarius (Linnaeus 1758). Fauna Europaea, Version 1.3, April 19, 2007 , accessed on July 23, 2007 .
literature
- Edmund Reitter : Fauna Germanica - The beetles of the German Empire. Volume 2 p. 308, KG Lutz, Stuttgart 1909.
- Edmund Reitter: Fauna Germanica - The beetles of the German Empire. 5 volumes, Stuttgart KG Lutz 1908 - 1916, digital library volume 134, Directmedia Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-898-53534-7 .
