Published 28 October 2011

For just a few hundred dollars, introducing a new species of dung beetle to your farm can be a thousand times more beneficial than buying a tonne of fertiliser. This was the message from internationally recognised dung beetle breeder, John Feehan, who spoke at the Mudgee Small Farm Field Days earlier this year, and again at a field day at Goolma. “You will reap the benefits now and your grandchildren will continue to benefit” explained John, who would like to see at least eight to twelve different species of dung beetle on every farm in Australia.

Different species of dung beetles are active in different seasons hence the need for more than one species to keep burying your farm dung throughout the year.

The first step in finding out what species of dung beetle you need is to work out what you already have. Farmers in the Mudgee region need to collect a sample between November-March. Sample collection is easy and quick and John Feehan offers a free dung beetle identification service for farmers, providing they collect and post their samples the following way:

• Select dung pads which have a margin of fresh soil around them.

• Approach the dung pads quietly so that the beetles do not crash dive down their tunnels.

• Use a long handled shovel to scoop up the dung and 2cm of soil underneath the dung pad

• Place soil, grass and dung into a bucket.

• Fill the bucket with water and stir gently.

• Collect beetles as they float to the surface.

• Kill the beetles in hot water.

• Dry beetles for two days on newspaper (out of direct sunlight).

• Select approximately 3 beetles of each different species. Perform this selection in the sunlight as you will see more detail than in artificial light.

• If a beetle is a different size or colour, it is a different species.

• If you are in doubt about a specimen, include it with your sample.

• Place beetles into a match box without cotton wool and without sticky tape.

• Fill in the form on the Watershed Landcare website and post with sample to John at:

SOILCAM – Free Identification Service

Mr John Feehan

3 Prell Place

HACKETT ACT 2602