Cattle-dung
Guides
Hister abbreviatus
clown beetle
Hister abbreviatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is distributed across North America, Central America, and northern South America, with records from Canada through the United States to Mexico. The species has been studied in laboratory conditions, where it demonstrated rapid development and predatory behavior focused on filth flies in cattle dung environments.
Labarrus pseudolividus
Labarrus pseudolividus is a dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) native to the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with introduced populations in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Africa. The species has been used as a model organism in methodology studies testing flotation and sieve-separation techniques for collecting dung beetles from dung pats. It is classified as a 'dweller' type dung beetle that inhabits dung rather than tunneling beneath it.
Oscarinus bottimeri
Oscarinus bottimeri is a dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae, described by Cartwright in 1957. The genus Oscarinus contains species associated with cattle dung in agricultural environments. Like related species in the genus, O. bottimeri likely contributes to nutrient cycling and soil aeration through dung burial activities.
Ravinia
Ravinia is a genus of flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1863. Species within this genus exhibit diverse life history strategies: some are predators of other dipteran larvae in cattle dung, while others have forensic importance. Larvae of at least one species, Ravinia lherminieri, demonstrate strong host resistance to nematode parasitism through haemocytic encapsulation. The genus has been recorded in North America, Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), and Brazil.