The flightless dung beetle is a species of dung beetle endemic to a few areas of South Africa, including the Addo Elephant National Park and the Buffalo Valley Game Farm. It is the only species in the genus ''Circellium''. The loss of flight allows the beetle to use the empty space below the elytra as a carbon dioxide storage tank, creating a unique breathing mechanism which conserves water, a valuable survival trait in the arid regions it lives in.
The species was originally widespread.. more
Similar species: Beetles
By stephen whittaker
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Uploaded Jun 15, 2017. Captured Sep 13, 2016 15:02 in Unnamed Road, South Africa.
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"The Flightless Dung Beetle (Circellium bacchus) is endemic to South Africa. It was once widespread, but now only survives in a few areas. Its vulnerability is aggravated by human activity and by the decreasing vertebrate populations that the beetles rely upon for dung production. Being flightless means that they cannot easily disperse and travel to new locations as animals in their habitat disappear. So, they rely on elephants and buffalos for survival, and as these mammal populations decrease, so do the dung beetles.
The duty dung beetles perform is critical and priceless to the health of the environment. These unsung insect heroes recycle and remove feces, which would otherwise pile up. There are at least 6,000 species of dung beetles on Earth that are constantly attending to the planet's excrement. They bury it, disperse it, eat it, and lay their eggs in it with remarkable speed. They aerate the soil, aid in nutrient cycling, provide food sources for decomposers, and reduce the feces available to larvae of insect pests and diseases to thrive in. Without dung beetles, the world would be a crappy place! {Spotted in South Africa by JungleDragon user, Stephen Whittaker} #JungleDragon"
Posted 7 years ago