For the Dung experts

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
While walking the dogs I often pick up sheep poo to see the activity inside but I have no idea what they are inside.
I know 3 new species of Dung beetles were found here in circa 2006.

Found loads of these critters this evening but no idea what they are?
B00302D2-1F22-4932-A897-C0E2825DC4D7.jpeg
There is a small spider/mite looking thing on this one below.
967C9FE1-3E7A-43FB-95A9-A8286836B9F7.jpeg

Then this one you can see the white clover seeds the sheep have eaten and are re populating the fields with.
F036C7B8-CE3C-450B-BA26-1DF2386480A5.jpeg


No obvious dung beetles in this field but the burrowing through the faeces shows they’ve been through, found 9 big ones in a faeces the size of an egg the other day though
 

Bogweevil

Member
Likely a rose chafer - their larvae feed in rotting organic matter unlike those bustard Welsh (not confined to Wales) and Garden chafers that devour grass roots. You often find rose chafer grubs in garden compost bins, adults too a very pretty beetle. https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/beetles/rose-chafer

Seeing quite a lot of chafer grubs when lifting spuds - unusual. No remedy.

Edit - second thoughts - dung beetle larvae similar, I should spend more time looking at dung and less at spuds: https://dungbeetlemap.wordpress.com/conservation/ecology/lifecycles/
 
Last edited:

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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