Fauna
Insect

Carolina Dung Beetle

Dichotomius carolinus

Also known as Carolina Copris

Carolina dung beetles are heavy-bodied tunnelers that perform essential sanitation across eastern North American pastures and grasslands. Adults fly on warm summer nights in search of fresh herbivore manure, which they excavate beneath and roll into deep underground brood chambers. By burying copious amounts of dung, they recycle soil nutrients, aerate the ground, and dramatically suppress parasitic pasture flies.

NocturnalDecomposerBurrower
Carolina Dung Beetle reference1 / 7
(c) Raven Dandridge, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Raven Dandridge · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyCattle dung, Horse dung, Organic detritus
Predators
  • Striped skunk
  • Nine-banded armadillo
  • Eastern screech-owl
ThreatsVeterinary antiparasitics like ivermectin in livestock waste, soil compaction, and urbanization
HabitatsPastures, open woodlands, prairies, and agricultural meadows
Life span1–2 years
Classification
  1. OrderColeoptera
  2. FamilyScarabaeidae
  3. GenusDichotomius
  4. SpeciesDichotomius carolinus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Harmless to humans and pets; safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Night Observation: Search around pasture margins and near bright outdoor lights on humid summer evenings.
  • Gentle Relocation: Pick up gently by the sides of the hard elytra if moving one away from footpaths.
  • Soil Signs: Look for small mounds of freshly pushed-up earth beneath livestock droppings.
Related species
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