RE:Onthophagus coenobita

From: Belinda Pearce Date:  18/02/2009

Hi Dave. Thanks for your message, and welcome to the forum. The species you mentioned is not on the list of CSIRO introduced dung beetles. In 2007, a report was done "Introduced Dung Beetles in Australia 1967-2007" listing which species were introduced and also identifying a range of desirable further introductions. It is downloadable in 5 parts at http://www.landcareonline.com/resource.asp?rcID=9 (about half-way down the page). Importing new species is both costly & time consuming and involves meeting stringent quarantine requirements. There is currently a push in WA to import Bubas bubalus - and it is anticipated that this introduction will cost at least several million dollars. On a brighter note, I have flicked through a thesis in which various baits were used to trap beetles. From memory, I recall that dung beetles (native and introdcued species) were caught in good numbers using human faeces. If you're interested, the thesis is on microfilm from University of New England. www.une.edu.au/library Call number MF000/D687/1980 Author Donovan, Christopher Harold. Title INDIGENOUS DUNG BEETLES NEAR ARMIDALE, NORTHERN N.S.W. : SEASONAL AND DIURNAL ACTIVITY PATTERNS OVER FOUR YEARS / BY CHRISTOPHER HAROLD DONOVAN. Publisher THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND, 1979. Series University of New England theses Good luck with your research project Belinda