Professor Arkansas State University Jonesboro, Arkansas
Dung beetles are keystone species in cattle pastures and forest habitats due to the ecological functions they provide. Removal of dung, cycling of nutrients, aeration of soil, seed burial, and reduction of pests are all major functions provided by dung beetles. These functions result in increased vegetation growth and reduction of pestiferous insects such as the horn fly, Haematobia irritans. Cattle pastures and forested habitats contain different vegetation types and provide dung beetles with different resources. Increased canopy cover and more variety in dung resources increases the productivity and diversity of dung beetles in forested habitats compared to the open fields and cattle dung available in pastures. The objective of this study is to identify dung beetle species across six study sites in Northeast Arkansas (three cattle pastures and three forested habitats) to monitor species diversity, abundance, and seasonal activity. Ten pitfall traps per site (60 total) are monitored and baited weekly. Trapping began the first week of March 2022 and is ongoing. As the end of August 2022, over 19,900 dung beetles were identified to 11 species. The majority of beetles, over 12,000 individuals, were collected in forested habitats compared to 7,800 individuals collected in cattle pastures. There have not been many studies in Arkansas focusing on dung beetles and this study will provide data to help forest management personnel and producers to make best management practices to help conserve these beneficial insects.