Step inside the ball of dung. You will see how the dung beetle lives and what happens.

Amazing BeetleHere he comes like a train. Using the moon and smell to find his prize, the dung beetle can’t see where he’s going. Pushing the dung ball upside down going about 754 feet per hour. It is twice its height and many times its weight. It also comes in green, blue and white and 3 to 50 millimeters long. Dung beetles are also called tumble bugs or by their scien-

tific name:Onthophagus gazella fab cius. HowLong?

By Charlie

Living up to 3 years, the dung beetle lays an egg on its hole in moist ground on the dung ball. You can see this proc-ess in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America. When the larva is born, he will eat the dung ball before emerging into the world hoping there are no birds.

Gross?Look there he is! I wonder if he’ll eat it right now or later? I wonder if it came from a wildebeest, kudus, hartebeests, elands, gemsboks, lions, leopards, wart-hogs, brown hyenas, elephants, mon-gooses, or a bat-eared foxes or a differ-

ent type of animal. What!!! He’s not eat-ing it, but sucking the juice! He also eats de-caying leaves, fruits and mushrooms.

Bibliography

Tooth and claw lewin, TedNew York2003

Bella Onlinewww.bellaonline.com/articles/17138.asp4/25/2010

African dung beetlewww.itsnature.org/ground/creepy-crawliesland/african-dung-beetle/4/25/2010

National geographic www.news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/0702_030720_dungbeetle.html4/25/10