For example, the manure of cattle and other animals would not break down without the role of such insects as dung beetles . Decay of dead animals is greatly accelerated by hide beetles and flies that feed on them. Decay of wood often is dependent on termites, carpenter ants and various insects that tunnel into it. Many scavenging insects also pull organic matter into the soil as they live and breed, further helping to build soil. Dung beetles often roll small balls of manure and bury them in the soil as a place to lay eggs.
Ants bring large amounts of dead insects and other materials into their colony.
In addition, the tunnelling of ants aerates and mixes soils, providing an essential task that earthworms provide elsewhere. Here are only a couple examples of dung beetle pictures available on the internet. These were borrowed from Discovery Online. As there is a wealth of information dealing with insects invovled in nutrient recycling, it is recommended that one visit a search engine and check it out.