Beetles battle for a prized ball of dung
January 17, 2019 - Two individuals fighting over a ball of dung sounds like a metaphor for a bad love triangle. But for dung beetles, it’s survival. Dung is a valuable resource, used as food and as a nursery for beetle babies. Each beetle is trying to throw the other off-balance. When one beetle is thrown off, balance it becomes vulnerable to injury because its wings are exposed. One species, the bull-headed dung beetle, has astounding strength for its size. They can pull up to 1,141 times their own weight. After each beetle takes a turn in control of the dung, one eventually concedes and scampers off.
Transcript
Two individuals fighting over a ball of dung sounds like a metaphor for a bad love triangle.
But for dung beetles, it’s survival.
Dung is a valuable resource, used as food and as a nursery for beetle babies.
Each beetle is trying to throw the other off-balance.
When one beetle is thrown off, balance it becomes vulnerable to injury because its wings are exposed.
One species, the bull-headed dung beetle, has astounding strength for its size.
They can pull up to 1,141 times their own weight.
After each beetle takes a turn in control of the dung, one eventually concedes and scampers off.
