Coprophagous/ Detritivorous Beetles?

A

AJS

L1
Apart from dung beetles (which I have asked about in a separate thread), are there any species of beetles which are wholly or partially coprophagous, and/or detritivorous, which members here think might be suitable for inclusion in naturalistic reptile enclosures to assist in the biological breakdown of reptile wastes?

Kindest regards,

Alex

 
While there may be hundreds of species that would fit your bill, locating and determining those species that feed on certain reptile dung could be very difficult. There are certainly many species in many groups that specialize in lizard dung but finding them is another story. You could try placing the dung outside in summer and keep an eye out for any takers. I wonder if Dermestes lardarius would have any interest in the proposed food.

 
Thank you for the reply. As part of the work I do with reptiles I am involved in certain field research projects and have built up a list of contacts of people working across the globe, who may be able to obtain some species for me (legally, of course). However, as these people are herpetologists, their knowledge of insects is often limited, hence I was hoping to identify some of the species that meet my requirements beforehand.

Kindest regards,

Alex

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top