Stages of bush fly, Musca vetustissima (Diptera: Muscidae), killed by scarabaeine dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in unfavourable cattle dung

Abstract

The stages of bush fly Musca vetustissima Walker, killed by the dung beetles, Onthophagus binodis Thunberg and Onitis alexis Klug, at low and high densities were measured in cattle dung of low nutritive value. A high level of M. vetustissima mortality occurred in the presence of Onitis alexis and Onthophagus binodis in experiments both in the laboratory at a constant 25 °C, and exposed to summer fluctuating temperatures outside. The K values for total eggpuparia mortality increased curvilinearly with increasing log ]0 beetle numbers. The mortality of older larvae, k y was most closely correlated with total mortality, K, where b = 0.720 and r 2 = 0.931, while a lesser but significant correlation was obtained with mortality of young larvae, k 2 , where b = 0.291 and r 2 = 0.645, but no correlation was obtained with egg mortality, k ]7 where b = -0.010 and r 2 = 0.058. It is predicted that in unfavourable dung which occurs during summer, mortality of older bush fly larvae will be the key mortality caused by scarabaeine dung beetles.

The adoption of silvopastoral systems promotes the recovery of ecological processes regulated by dung beetles in the Colombian Andes

“…obs.). In contrast, experimental manipulations in the laboratory and in the field have shown that when dung beetles and horn flies co‐occur, fly survival tends to decrease as a consequence of asymmetrical resource competition (Ridsdill‐Smith & Hayles, 1987), mechanical damage of eggs by beetles (Ridsdill‐Smith & Hayles,1990) and fly predation by phoretic mites (Glida et al, 2003). All this suggests that the complementary action of the dung beetles eliminating dung from the surface and the control of flies by predators and parasitoids can reduce horn fly density in pastures.…”

Invasão de áreas de savana intra-amazônicas por Digitonthophagus gazella (Fabricius, 1787) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

“…Sua interação com o ambiente os credencia como importantes inimigos naturais de moscas, parasitas e demais insetos que utilizam detritos com recurso alimentar ou vetor de dispersão (Ridsdill-Smith, 1980).…”

Guia de identificação das espécies de Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) do município de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

“…Devido à alta especialização do grupo na coprofagia, Scarabaeinae é muito frequente em pastagens naturais ou introduzidas em agroecossistemas pecuários , Koller et al 2007, Louzada & Silva 2009), onde as espécies contribuem com o combate a parasitos, como dípteros e nematódeos que se desenvolvem nas massas fecais (Ridsdill-Smith & Hayles 1990), além de incorporar material orgânico ao solo, auxiliar na aeração e hidratação edáfica através da construção de suas galerias, e na reciclagem de nutrientes (Milhomem et al 2003, Bang et al 2005, Nichols et al 2008.…”