Dung invertebrates

What we need to do and where

1. About

Dung is an important microhabitat for lots of invertebrates. 400 invertebrate species, mainly beetles and flies, use dung habitats. They generally prefer fresh to mid-aged dung from herbivores such as cattle. The best dung invertebrate assemblages tend to be on dry, freely-draining soils such as sand, chalk and limestone where the sward is short and there are patches of bare ground.  

Different invertebrates use dung in different ways. The larvae of species such as dung beetles and dung flies feed on the dung itself. Other species such as featherwing beetles (some of the smallest beetles in the world) and silken fungus beetles develop on fungi that grows on dung. The majority of rove beetles and house flies prey on insects that feed on dung. 

Dung invertebrates are very important on farmed land as they help to maintain healthy, productive soils and grasslands. For example, the minotaur beetle, which occurs widely across Devon, buries dung in tunnels as a food store for its larva. The tunnels can be up to 1.5m deep and help to re-distribute nutrients, improve drainage and aerate the soil. Dung invertebrates also prevent excessive pasture fouling.  Where they’ve been killed by veterinary pesticides, the productivity of a field drops substantially.  

Dung beetles are an important food source for species such as birds and bats, in particular for greater horseshoe bats which are a Devon Special Species.  

Britain’s most diverse dung assemblages are in southern England and Wales. In Devon, the most interesting assemblages are on the Braunton and Northam Burrows SSSI and SAC, and the acid grassland and dry heaths around the edges of Dartmoor, including Harford and Ugborough Moor and Holne Moor (within South Dartmoor SSSI). In 2024, a Dartmoor dung beetle survey assessed the area to be of European importance for its dung beetle assemblage. See Find out more below.   

By contrast, the waterlogged clay soils of the Culm Measures, which occupy much of mid-Devon, do not appear to have such an interesting dung fauna. 

Dung invertebrate assemblages are not listed as features of interest for SSSI designations. 

Key pressures and opportunities

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Continuity of dung

Changes to grazing regimes, such as the loss of mixed year-round grazing (which is still practised on Dartmoor’s commons), harm dung assemblages as they affect the supply of dung. This can be seen on Braunton Burrows, which has much lower dung interest than Northam Burrows where there’s still active grazing.  

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Livestock parasite control

Dung invertebrates are killed by toxic and persistent chemicals in the treatments used to control parasites in livestock.  Need to add more from the LNRS Farming Group discussion.   

2. What we need to do and where

Priority

Increase the abundance and distribution of dung beetles and other dung invertebrates across Devon, particularly those identified as Focus Species.  

Focus species

The following threatened, near threatened and nationally rare dung invertebrates have been recorded in Devon. The hornet robberfly is also listed here, as it’s a dung specialist and a UK Priority Species.   

Obscure clown beetle Margarinotus obscurus: Shillingford area.  

A dung beetle Onthophagus nuchicornis: Northam Burrows and Torbay area.  

A dung beetle Euheptaulacus sus: Northam Burrows.  

A dor beetle Geotrupes mutator: Dartmoor: Teign valley, including Whiddon Deer Park; Chudleigh Knighton Heath; Buck Tor; Chagford.  

A dung beetle Sigorus porcus: Dartmoor: Buck Tor, Bellever area and Tavistock area.  

Scarce dung clown beetle Hister bissexstriatus: Westwood area.  

Hornet robberfly Asilus crabroniformis: numerous sites in south Devon. 

There are currently no Focus Items (sub pages) for this profile.

Actions for all Dung invertebrates

Agree wording with LNRS farming group  

Ensure that grazing regimes support healthy dung invertebrates, which in turn support  healthy soils and grasslands.    

  • Where appropriate manage habitats through year-round grazing with a mix of cattle, sheep and horses or ponies, particularly on the Dartmoor commons. 
  • Veterinary treatments that are non-toxic to dung invertebrates and break down quickly in livestock dung should be introduced as a matter of urgency. 
  • Continue to graze Northam Burrows and explore the possibility of increasing and re-introducing grazing on parts of Braunton Burrows. 

 Surveys 

  • Carry out further surveys of dung invertebrates.  

Where to focus action

Dung beetles are important for wildlife and healthy soils and grasslands across Devon and the actions are relevant everywhere. However High Opportunity Areas for rare dung beetles and greater horseshoe bats (which feed on more common dung beetles) are: 

  • Braunton Burrows and Northam Burrows  
  • Dry heathlands and acid grasslands around the edge of unenclosed Dartmoor   
  • Greater horseshoe bat sustenance zones 

See Mapping  

3. Inspiration

Add through discussion during Consultation  –  include work on Dartmoor. 

4. Find out more

Finish through discussion during Consultation – are there web links to these? 

LANE, S. A. & MANN, D. J.  2016.  A review of the status of the beetles of Great Britain: the stag beetles, dor beetles, dung beetles, chafers and their allies – Lucanidae, Geotrupidae, Trogidae and Scarabaeidae.  Natural England Commissioned Report NECR224, Species Status No.31.  NE, Peterborough.  

LOTT, D. A. & ANDERSON, R.  2011.  The Staphylinidae (rove beetles) of Britain and Ireland.  Parts 7 & 8: Oxyporinae, Steninae, Euaesthetinae, Pseudopsinae, Paederinae, Staphylininae.  Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 12 (7).  Royal Entomological Society, FSC Shrewsbury.  

TURNER, C. & ATTWELL, D.  2024.  Dung Beetle Diversity and Abundance on Common Land.  Healthy Livestock Project – Dartmoor.  Foundation for Common Land.  

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