Does the UK have any dung beetles that roll dung into balls?

No, Britain doesn't have the classic ball-rolling dung beetle species you see in documentaries. The minotaur beetle occasionally shifts rabbit droppings towards its burrow, but it's not the same as the dramatic ball-rollers you'd find in warmer climates like Africa.

Are dung beetles harmful to livestock or farmland?

No, they're actually extremely beneficial. Dung beetles help break down dung pats that would otherwise smother grassland, distribute nutrients into the soil, improve soil structure, and reduce livestock parasites by disrupting their life cycles—sometimes cutting parasite contamination by more than half.

Can livestock wormers harm dung beetles?

Yes, unfortunately. Ivermectin and similar anti-parasitic drugs remain active in livestock dung for weeks or months, and they can kill dung beetles or interfere with their feeding and reproduction. Some farmers are timing treatments for when beetles are less active or using alternatives that break down more quickly.

Creepy-Crawlies: A Field Report

Dung Beetles and the Unglamorous Work of Keeping Hills Green

Both adults and larvae of UK dung beetles feed on large-herbivore dung, with earth-boring species carrying it into burrows beneath pats. There's a case to be made for their landscape benefit, though it's best not to oversell the glamour.

16 September 20268 min read