DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8kprr4z06
title: Risk of parasiticides diflubenzuron, eprinomectin, and fenbendazole to dung-associated beetles

description: Dung-associated beetles provide crucial ecosystem services, including
 reducing pasture fouling and contributing to animal and pasture health.
 However, parasiticides used on cattle can negatively impact
 beetles. We assessed the exposure and impact of Clarifly ® (active
 ingredient [a.i.] diflubenzuron), LongRange ® (a.i.
 eprinomectin), and Safe-guard ® (a.i. fenbendazole) on beetles
 and flies. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, we quantified the
 residual concentrations of these chemicals in cattle feces for
 150 days. We found fenbendazole excreted within the first 3 days
 after treatment (DAT), while diflubenzuron and eprinomectin persisted
 for 8-12 weeks. To estimate the concentrations of these active
 ingredients that are toxic to beetles, we dosed cattle dung with
 diflubenzuron, eprinomectin, or fenbendazole, allowed insects
 to colonize in the field, and monitored the emergence of beetles.
 Dung beetle (Scarabaeidae) abundance was negatively impacted by
 diflubenzuron and eprinomectin, while fenbendazole had no negative
 effects. Predatory beetles, families Carabidae, Histeridae, Hydrophilidae,
 and Staphylinidae, were unaffected by all chemicals. We found
 that dung from animals treated with LongRange ® was toxic to
 Scarabaeidae for 30 to 90 DAT. Similarly, diflubenzuron was toxic
 to Scarabaeidae when cattle consistently consumed it, although
 the concentration of diflubenzuron in dung varied when cattle
 were fed using Clarifly ®. In contrast, the active ingredient in
 Safe-guard ®, fenbendazole, was not toxic at 10 mg/kg. Although we found
 this product excreted at higher concentrations for 1 DAT, it likely poses
 little risk. Our results suggest that producers who value beneficial
 beetles as a management goal should avoid eprinomectin and
 diflubenzuron products that excrete for long periods.
description: # Risk of parasiticides diflubenzuron, eprinomectin, and fenbendazole to
 dung-associated beetles Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.8kprr4z06](10.5061/dryad.8kprr4z06) ## Description of the
 data and file structure We assessed the exposure and impact of
 Clarifly® (active ingredient [a.i.] diflubenzuron), LongRange® (a.i.
 eprinomectin), and Safe-guard® (a.i. fenbendazole) on beetles and flies.
 Using high-performance liquid chromatography, we quantified the residual
 concentrations of these chemicals in cattle feces for 150 days. To
 estimate the concentrations of these active ingredients that are toxic to
 beetles, we dosed cattle dung with diflubenzuron, eprinomectin, or
 fenbendazole, allowed insects to colonize in the field, and monitored the
 emergence of beetles.  ### Files and variables #### File: HPLC_Data.csv
 **Description:** Contains concentrations of parasiticides diflubenzuron,
 fenbendazole, eprinomectin, ivermectin and moxidectin from samples in 2022
 and 2023. We did not include results from Ivermectin and Moxidectin in
 final manuscript because of issues with detection. ##### Variables *
 Year:2022 or 2023, when fecal samples were collected * Treatment:Active
 ingredient quantified based on available standards * ID: ID tag number of
 heifer sampled * DAT: Day after treatment ranges from 1-150 *
 Concentration (ppm): Concentration of active ingredient in parts per
 million #### File: JA_DataNoColonizers.csv **Description:** Count of
 animals emerging from dung bins. Dung beetles separated into species,
 predators and muscids summed without identifying further. ##### Variables
 * Month: Month that emergence bins were placed in the field; either June
 or August of 2023 * Location: Name of farm where emergence bins were
 placed * Treatment: Type of chemical active ingredient used to dose manure
 pat * Dosage: Concentration of chemical active ingredient. Concentrations
 depended on the chemical used, details of which can be found in the
 manuscript. * Replication: Replicate number at each site and month *
 Block: Bins where arranged in blocks while in the field * Ataenius
 striatus – Aphodius psuedolividus: Count of dung beetles per species found
 in each bin * DB ID’d by part:  Some of the dung beetles were counted
 based on the presence of thoraxes in the soil. * Summed_Scarabs: total
 number of scarabs in previous columns * Summed_muscids: total number of
 muscid flies found in each bin * Summed_predators: total number of
 predatory beetles, including carabids, staphynilids, histerids, and
 hydrophylid beetles. #### File: Muscids.csv **Description:** Count of
 muscid flies collected from emergence bins ##### Variables * Month: Month
 that emergence bins were placed in the field; either June or August of
 2023 * Location: Name of farm where emergence bins were placed *
 Treatment: Type of chemical active ingredient used to dose manure pat *
 Dosage: Concentration of chemical active ingredient. Concentrations
 depended on the chemical used, details of which can be found in the
 manuscript. * Replication: Replicate number at each site and month *
 Block: Bins where arranged in blocks while in the field * Summed_Muscids:
 Total muscids caught in each bin. #### Files: Predator_Bin.pdf &
 Predator_Bin.xml **Description:** is the analysis of predatory taxa,
 including rove beetles, carabids, histerids and hydrophylids found in bins
 from JA_DataNoColonizers.csv #### File: HPLC.pdf& HPLC.xml
 **Description:** is the analysis of HPLC_Data.csv, and includes analysis
 of Eprinomectin, Diflubenzuron, and Fendbendazole, as well as Ivermectin
 and Moxidectin. #### File: Muscid_Bin.pdf & Muscid_Bin.xml
 **Description:** is the analysis of Muscids.csv #### File: Scarab_Bin.pdf
 & Scarab_Bin.xml **Description:** R markdown file of the analysis of
 Scarabeaidae found in emergence bins from JA_DataNoColonizers.csv