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The effect of seasonal changes in cattle dung on egg production by two species of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in south-western Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

T. J. Ridsdill-Smith
T. J. Ridsdill-Smith
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Entomology, Private Bag, P.O. Wembley, Western Australia6014
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Abstract

Egg production by two scarabaeine dung beetles, Onthophagus binodis (Thunberg) and Onitis alexis Klug, was measured in the laboratory in relation to seasonal changes in the characteristics of the cattle dung on which they fed. Dung was collected in two areas of south-western Australia monthly between September and May. Egg production was high on dung from green annual pasture from September to November and on green irrigated perennial pasture from December to May and low on dung from dead annual pasture from December to May. O. alexis was somewhat less affected by these seasonal changes in dung characteristics than Onthophagus binodis.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 76 , Issue 1 , March 1986 , pp. 63 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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