Description: An information hub for farmers about dung beetles, the benefit they do and how to help them
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Dung beetles are vitally important insects which improve the quality and structure of soil, reduce parasite burdens in livestock and provide a variety of other crucial services within agricultural landscapes. But they are struggling, as changes to agricultural practices and intensification have had significant impacts on a wide range of species, including dung beetles.
The loss of pasture to development and arable, alongside the removal of grazing livestock, has reduced the availability of dung causing habitat fragmentation and greatly reduced the nourishment obtainable for dung beetles. Permanent pasture habitats have decreased with rotational grassland and short-term leys replacing them, which require fertilisers and soils disturbance - both of which are detrimental to the dung beetles’ lifecycle. Also, the use of certain parasite treatments are linked with reduced abun
Dung Beetles for Farmers is a resource which aims to help farmers, landowners, veterinarians, entomologists and many others to gain a better understanding of how they can conserve dung beetles and reap the benefits from the services they provide. We will strive to provide evidence-based information on how different management decisions impact dung beetles and hope to develop a greater awareness of their importance in pasture management and the general diversity of the ecosystem.