Seasonal Activity and Species Composition of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae) Inhabiting Cattle Pastures in North Carolina
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ECOLOGY AND POPULATION BIOLOGY Seasonal Activity and Species Composition of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae) Inhabiting Cattle Pastures in North Carolina MATT BERTONE,1 JIM GREEN,2 STEVE WASHBURN,3 MATT POORE,3 CLYDE SORENSON,1 1, 4 AND D. WES WATSON Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/98/3/309/85518 by guest on 29 September 2021 Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 98(3): 309Ð321 (2005) ABSTRACT Species composition and seasonal distribution of dung beetles were studied on dairy and beef cattle pastures in North Carolina. Study sites included a dairy located in the piedmont region (North Carolina Department of Agriculture Piedmont Research Station, Salisbury, NC) and a com- bined dairy/beef facility in the coastal plain (North Carolina Department of Agriculture Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Goldsboro, NC). Dung beetles were trapped in cattle pastures from March 2002 through September 2003 by using dung-baited pitfall traps. Trapping yielded 4,111 beetles representing 14 species from the piedmont dairy, including Aphodius prodromus Brahm, a new record for North Carolina. Totals of 57,026 beetles representing 28 species and 28,857 beetles representing 26 species were trapped from the dairy unit and beef unit in the coastal plain site, respectively. Onthophagus gazella (F.), a second new record for North Carolina, was collected from the coastal plain. Beetles common to all collection sites include Aphodius erraticus (L.), Aphodius fimetarius (L.), Aphodius granarius (L.), Aphodius pseudolividus Balthasar, Onthophagus taurus Schreber, Onthopha- gus hecate hecate Panzer, and Onthophagus pennsylvanicus Harold. The introduced beetle O. taurus dominated the dung beetle population, accounting for Ͼ50% of the total beetles caught at either site. Beetle activity was greatest from March until November, with activity declining during the winter. Nine exotic species in the genera Onthophagus and Aphodius represented nearly 95% of the beetles trapped. KEY WORDS Onthophagus, Aphodius, cattle, piedmont, coastal-plain CATTLE DUNG SUPPORTS A DIVERSE community of arthro- and Doube 1983, Doube and Moola 1988). Dung beetles pods, including pest and nonpest species that contrib- also reduce the survival of gastrointestinal nematodes ute to its decomposition (Bornemissza 1960). Two shed in dung (Bryan 1973, Fincher 1975a). Soil fertility common cattle pests, the horn ßy, Hematobia irritans is enhanced when beetles provision their nests with dung (L.), and the face ßy, Musca autumnalis (DeGeer) for their offspring. Nutrients in the buried dung become (Diptera: Muscidae), assist in the decomposition of available to plants, increasing the quality and amount of cattle dung as larvae, but as adults these ßies are plant material on the pasture surface (Bornemissza and Ͼ estimated to cause $780 million in losses to the cattle Williams 1970, Macqueen and Beirne 1975, Fincher et al. industry (Drummond et al. 1981). Production losses 1981). are directly related to the feeding habits of the adult Although extensive work has been published on the ßies, blood loss and annoyance, reduced weight gains beneÞcial actions of dung beetles, surveys of North and disease transmission (Campbell 1976, Gerhardt et American dung beetle fauna, North of Mexico, are al. 1982, Haufe 1982, Kunz et al. 1984). In contrast, limited to relatively few areas. Recently studied areas beneÞcial scarabaeoid dung beetles (Scarabaeidae include Texas (Nealis 1977, Fincher et al. 1986, How- [Scarabaeinae, Coprinae and Aphodiinae] and Geo- trupidae [Geotrupinae]) compete with dung-breeding den and Scholtz 1986, Howden and Howden 2001), Diptera for resources, and reduce the survival of many Georgia (Fincher 1975b, 1979; Fincher and Woodruff pest species (Bornemissza 1970, Blume et al. 1973, Fay 1979), Florida (Woodruff 1973), South Carolina (Har- pootlian 2001), South Dakota (Kessler et al. 1974), Minnesota (Cervenka and Moon 1991) and Alberta, 1 Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Ra- leigh, NC 27695. Canada (Floate and Gill 1998). Many areas, including 2 Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University, North Carolina, lack adequate information on local Raleigh, NC 27695. species, their relative abundance, and their seasonal 3 Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695. activity. Only one North Carolina scarab study has 4 Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected]. included cattle pastures (Davis 1966). Such studies 0013-8746/05/0309Ð0321$04.00/0 ᭧ 2005 Entomological Society of America 310 ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 98, no. 3 would be important to understanding pasture insect cattle were fed cottonseed, gin trash, and hay in ad- biodiversity, monitoring the advance of introduced dition to the available forages found in the pastures. species, and providing essential ecological informa- No growth promoters or antibiotics were adminis- tion on how native species respond to non-native tered to the cattle used in this study. species. Our goals in this research were to 1) deter- Dung beetles were captured using dung-baited pit- mine the species of Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae fall traps similar to those of Floate and Gill (1998). existing at two different sites in North Carolina, 2) Fresh bovine dung was collected from pastures at each assess the dominant species occurring at these two unit and frozen until needed. Dung beetle baits were sites, and 3) monitor the seasonal activity of each prepared by wrapping an aliquot of thawed dung, species throughout the year. measured using a 55-ml ice-cream scoop, in a white paper towel (20 by 20 cm). These balls served as baits Materials and Methods for the pitfall traps. Dung baits were frozen until they were required for Þeld trapping. Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/98/3/309/85518 by guest on 29 September 2021 Two distinct sites were selected for study, one lo- The pitfall traps were inserted into 10.2-cm-diam- cated in the piedmont region of central North Caro- eter, thin-walled (2-mm) polyvinyl chloride tubes lina and another in the coastal plain of eastern North buried to a depth of 25 cm. The tubes prevented the Carolina. The Piedmont Research Station is located in collapse of soil into the hole and provided assurance Salisbury, NC (Rowan Co.; N 35.7Њ latitude, W 80.62Њ of repeated and precise trap placement. Trapping oc- longitude; 251 m above sea level). Characterized as a curred during a 24-h period, weekly from 7 March 2002 felsic crystalline soil system, the local soils were iden- through 10 April 2002 and every other week from tiÞed as Hiwassee and Starr clay loam (Daniels et al. 10 April 2002 through the end of the study in Sep- 1999). The stationÕs dairy unit maintained an average tember 2003. Climatological data were recorded by of 200 Holstein milking cows milked twice daily. Ap- stations at each site and supplied by the State Climate proximately 150 cows, heifers, and calves were on OfÞce of North Carolina (SCO 2003) (Figs. 1 and 2). pasture during the study. Ten traps were placed at the dairy unit of the Pied- Forage species found on this farm consisted of mont Research Station. Five traps were located on the tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; rescuegrass, western side of the farm, between several dry lot Bromus catharticus Vahl; and to a lesser extent, Ber- paddocks and pastures. The remaining Þve traps were muda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., and white placed on the eastern side of the unit in a pasture clover, Trifolium repens L. Cattle also were fed corn where cattle were continuously grazed and fed sup- silage before milking. plemental grain and forage. Traps were placed Ϸ10 m The Center for Environmental Farming Systems Њ apart and were located under the electrical fencing for (CEFS) in Goldsboro (Wayne Co.; N 35.44 latitude, protection from cattle. W 78.09Њ longitude; 41 m above sea level) is located in Twenty traps were located at CEFS. Ten traps the coastal plain region of eastern North Carolina. each were assigned to the dairy unit and the beef unit. Placed in the middle coastal plain soil system, the Traps were separated by Ϸ50 m. Although the number various soil types included Johns sandy loam, Kenans- of traps used at each unit remained constant (10), the ville loamy sand, Rains sandy loam, and Torhunta loam trap location varied during the study. Because the (Daniels et al. 1999). This station maintained an op- cattle herd moved from pasture to pasture under erating beef unit and a dairy unit. The beef herd the rotational grazing scheme, traps were placed averaged 125 Angus and Angus/Senepol crossbred nearest to pastures with cattle present. Occasionally, cows and replacement heifers. The dairy herd aver- aged 140 Holstein and Holstein/Jersey mixed lactating trap locations were moved from high-trafÞc areas and cows and 35 calves. All cattle were kept on pasture the ßood-prone areas that inhibited dung beetle trapping. entire year but were rotated across various paddocks. After 24 h, beetles from the traps were collected in The dairy herd was brought in twice daily for milking plastic bags, labeled according to location, and taken and for supplemental feeding of a mixture of corn, to the laboratory where the beetles were identiÞed soybean meal, whole cottonseed, and minerals. After and counted. Species were identiÞed using the keys in each milking, lactating cows received a fresh pasture Howden and Cartwright (1963), Woodruff (1973), allocation. Nonlactating dairy animals and beef cattle Gordon (1983), and Harpootlian (2001). Voucher received fresh pasture at least twice each week. specimens were placed in the insect museum of North Forage species at CEFS included coastal Bermuda Carolina State University, Department of Entomol- grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; rescuegrass, Bro- ogy, Raleigh, NC. mus catharticus Vahl, ÔMatuaÕ; orchardgrass, Dactylis Because the cattle were moved often under the glomerata L.; white clover, Trifolium repens L.; pearl rotational grazing system and trap location was Þxed, millet; Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.