Projects

Field Testing three new spring active dung beetles on the Fleurieu Peninsula

The Fleurieu Beef Group have supported the breeding and release of two spring active Dung Beetles species Onthophagus vacca and Bubas bubalus as they were established on 16 beef properties (18 on-farm nurseries) on the Fleurieu Peninsula in 2019/20

Farmers achieved up to a 14-fold increase in beetle numbers over the O. vacca breeding period, from August to December 2019.

To date, the project has achieved the objectives of:

• Developing farmers knowledge of on-farm rearing of dung beetles;

• Providing farmers with a dung beetle seed stock for future rearing and distribution over their properties;

• Determining the site suitability on the Fleurieu Peninsula for the breeding period of O. vacca.