The baermann procedure is used to find the larvae. Unlike most other lungworms these parasites have a direct life cycles and do not use intermediate hosts. Disemination on pasture sometimes involves the fungus Pilobus sp. The exploding fungal spores cast the larvae for long distances from the fecal pat. Metastrongylus apri egg Metastrongylus apri is a parasite of pigs and the only lungworm of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea that passes in the host's feces as an embryonated egg.
Dung beetles serve as intermediate hosts.
The larval stages are then released from the eggs, develop to infective L3 larvae which accumulate in the beetles.