Dung Beetle

insects · nature's recyclers · beetles · gross but amazing

Poop specialists. Dung beetles eat animal feces and are so good at this job that there are more than 5,000 different species of them. They're like the world's most dedicated sanitation workers.

Rolling architects. Many dung beetles roll poop into balls and bury them underground as food storage and nurseries for their babies. A single beetle can move a ball many times heavier than itself.

Ancient sacred symbol. Thousands of years ago, ancient Egyptians thought dung beetles were magical because they seemed to create life from nothing. They used dung beetle symbols called scarabs in their art and jewelry.

Five thousand species strong. Almost all dung beetles belong to one big family called Scarabaeidae, with most being in a group called Scarabaeinae. This shows just how successful and diverse these beetles are across the world.

Nature's cleanup team. By breaking down and burying animal poop, dung beetles return nutrients to the soil and help prevent diseases from spreading. They're essential helpers in almost every ecosystem on Earth.