dung-beetle
Feces-pushing insect
A dung-beetle is a beetle that feeds on and breeds in animal excrement.
Many species roll dung into balls, sometimes larger than themselves, which they bury as food stores or egg chambers.
Ancient Egyptians revered the scarab, a dung-beetle, as a symbol of rebirth and the sun god Ra.
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- mandibleLower facial bone
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- thoraxCentral body cavity
abdomen · chitin · coleoptera · arthropod · segmented · hexapod · elytra · tarsi
Animal waste as fertilizer
Breakdown into simpler parts
- fertilizerSoil nutrient supplement
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- detritivoreEats dead organic material
- biodiversityRange of life forms
compost · humus · organic · bioindicator · conservation · savanna · grassland · rangeland
Beetle held sacred anciently
- amuletWorn protective token
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- hieroglyphsAncient Egyptian picture-writing
- mythologyBody of traditional tales
Ra · afterlife · tomb · pharaoh · Book of the Dead · mummification · pyramids · Nile
carapace
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- mandibleLower facial bone
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
thorax · abdomen · chitin · coleoptera · arthropod · segmented · hexapod · elytra · tarsi · horn
manure
Animal waste as fertilizer
pellets · rolling · burying · excrement · guano · muck · pat · cowpat
decomposition
Breakdown into simpler parts
- fertilizerSoil nutrient supplement
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- detritivoreEats dead organic material
biodiversity · compost · humus · organic · bioindicator · conservation · savanna · grassland · rangeland
scarab
Beetle held sacred anciently
- amuletWorn protective token
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- hieroglyphsAncient Egyptian picture-writing
mythology · Ra · afterlife · tomb · pharaoh · Book of the Dead · mummification · pyramids · Nile · ancient
larvae
Immature metamorphosing creatures
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- instarArthropod developmental stage
- moltShed outer covering
pupa · burrow · oviposition · grub · emergence · tunneler · roller · dweller · nocturnal · mating
dung-beetlenectar-feeder
Animal consuming floral sweetness
butterfly · honeybee · hummingbird · ladybug · praying mantis
dung-beetlepollinator
Pollen-transferring organism
pest · parasite · disease vector · producer · plant
dung-beetlebutterfly
Winged insect from caterpillar
firefly · ladybug · dragonfly · monarch butterfly · jewel beetle