Beetles which roll dung often bury the balls in the ground or store them under leaves where the moisture level is more favourable. Observations in the lab and in the forest show that T involucre is more mobile than A. pectoralis and that T involucre arrives first on dung. I have also observed that T involucre feed either directly on the dung or roll balls, whereas A. pectoralis does not roll, it only feeds directly on the dung pad. The sclerophyll is drier and has less dung, and A. pectoralis might find itself outcompeted by the faster actions of T involucre. Further research and observations are required to evaluate whether competition for dung is an important factor determining where these two species are found.
Dung beetles respond differently to changes in the environment.
These responses, when fully understood, may indicate different things about the environment, depending on the species and the habitat. For more information Please call Agnes Rortais directly at the Department of Zoology and Tropical Ecology, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia. Page Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge Lake Eacham, Atherton Tableland Tropical North Queensland, Australia. All content, layout and design in this website are protected by copyright 1998 John Chambers.