Dung beetles fly to fresh dung and disperse or bury the dung whilst feeding or providing brood masses for their larvae. The recycling of dung in this way improves soil texture and returns nutrients and water to the soil (Bornemissza, 1970), as well as destroying fly eggs and nematodes which breed in dung (Fincher, 1973, 1975; Waterhouse, 1974). It has therefore been considered possible that the introduction of dung beetles from overseas could bring about improved breakdown of dung and also control of flies and parasites in areas such as Australia and the USA where native dung beetle activity is low (Bornemissza, 1960; Waterhouse, 1974; Fincher, 1981; Kirk, 1983; Ridsdill-Smith & Kirk, 1985).

Dung beetles have been introduced into areas of mediterranean climate in Australia and the USA from similar climatic areas in Europe, North Africa and western Asia as biocontrol agents for dung-breeding flies and dung (Ridsdill-Smith & Kirk, 1982, 1985; Kirk, 1983; Kirk & Ridsdill-Smith, 1986). They have been introduced into south-western Australia to improve the breakdown of cattle dung and thereby reduce populations of the dung-breeding bush fly Musca vetustissima. South-western Australia has a climate with cool moist winters and warm dry summers. As part of this program, beetles were selected from southwestern Spain, which has a similar climate and where about 50 Mediterranean species of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) have been recorded (Baraud, 1977).