Nutrient-recycling
Guides
Copestylum
Bromeliad Flies
Copestylum is one of the largest genera of hoverflies (Syrphidae) in the Americas, comprising more than 300 species. The genus is neotropical in origin, with only four species recorded outside the Americas, likely introduced through cactus trade. Larvae are saprophagous and develop in decaying tissues of columnar cacti and other succulent plants, playing important roles in nutrient recycling in xeric environments. Adults are commonly known as bromeliad flies.
Megalotomus quinquespinosus
Lupine Bug
Megalotomus quinquespinosus, commonly known as the lupine bug, is a broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae. It is found across North America. While many alydids are primarily plant-feeders, this species has been documented feeding on carrion and dung, including the remains of small mammals in predator scat. This behavior represents an unusual expansion of diet beyond typical seed-feeding habits seen in related species.
Phanaeus difformis
Phanaeus difformis is a dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae native to the south-central United States and adjacent far northern Mexico. It belongs to a genus known for colorful, horned males that specialize in burying mammal dung for larval development. The species may hybridize with the more common P. vindex where their ranges overlap. Like other Phanaeus species, it provides ecosystem services through dung burial and nutrient recycling.