| Aphodius Dung Beetles |
| Dung Beetles are a large
and well known group of beetles belonging to the Scarabaeidae
family, a group which includes the well known Cockchafer.
Whilst the Cockchafer is a large, chestnut brown species,
the Aphodius Dung Beetles are much smaller and
in many cases, a great deal more colourful. Like their
common name implies, they frequent cattle and horse dung
and where this is found, so too are Dung Beetles. As with many beetles, the Aphodius group are quite difficult to identify to species level (particularly at first) but the medium that they are found in, is probably the most off-putting from many naturalists point of view. This page shows the Aphodius species which we have so far encountered at Penny Pasture Common and Tug Bridge Farm at Eakring, at Hills and Holes SSSI at Market Warsop and at Sherwood Forest. |
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| Dung Beetles
play an important role in assisting the decomposition of
cattle and horse dung, perhaps reducing the actual
decomposition time by 50%. Studies have shown that
different Aphodius species enter dung at
different times or stages in decomposition. Our own
searches at the sites mentioned above, suggest that the
first to arrive, do so after about 24 hours, seemingly
entering the dung from underneath. Throughout the year, a
variety of Aphodius species can be found in dung, but
only those species which we have found since July 2008
are depicted here. Aphodius species in Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire should have a wide range of common species. Two nationally notable (Nb) species which are known to occur in Nottinghamshire are Aphodius distinctus and Aphodius porcus. Historically, Carr's book 'The Invertebrate Fauna of Nottinghamshire' lists the following species:- A. depressus; A. luridus; A. rufipes; A. ater; A. constans; A. rufus; A. sordidus; A. fimetarius; A foetens; A. foetidus; A. granarius; A.erraticus; A. merdarius; A. pusillus; A. subterraneus; A. prodromus; A. punctatosulcatus; A. contaminatus; A. haemorrhoidalis; A. quadrimaculatus; A. porcus; A. fossor and A. sticticus. |
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| Aphodius contaminatus Photographed at Budby Common, September 2008. Length 6.5mm. | Aphodius depressus Photographed at Sherwood Forest, August 2008. Length 6.5mm. | |||
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| Aphodius distinctus Photographed at Budby Common, September 2008. Length 4.5mm. | Aphodius fimetarius Photographed at Tug Bridge Farm, Eakring, August 2008. Length 7.5mm. | |||
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| Aphodius foetens Photographed at Clipstone Old Quarter, July 2008. Length 7mm. | Aphodius foetidus Photographed at Tug Bridge Farm, Eakring, September 2008. Length 5mm. | |||
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| Aphodius fossor Photographed at Penny Pasture Common, Eakring Meadows, August 2008. Length 12mm. | Aphodius ictericus Photographed at Penny Pasture Common, Eakring Meadows, August 2008. Length 7.5mm. | |||
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| Aphodius prodromus Photographed at Budby Common, September 2008. Length 6mm. | Aphodius rufipes Photographed at Sherwood Forest, July 2008. Length 9mm. | |||
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| Aphodius rufus Photographed at Sherwood Forest, July 2008. Length 5mm. | Aphodius sordidus Photographed at Penny Pasture Common, Eakring Meadows, August 2008. Length 6mm. | |||
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