The cute, cuddly and fluffy species of this earth get all the good press. I’d like to speak up on behalf of the others. Maybe because I feel some affinity….
Beetles do a fantastic job in this world. In my garden live a variety of beetles, but the ones I see most frequently are the ground and dung beetles.
http://www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/beetles.htm
http://www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/dung-beetles.htm
I remember watching a TV program by David Attenborough some years ago, in which he told the story of the humble dung-beetle. Hilarious and fascinating. http://www.animalplanet.com.au/david_attenborough/index.shtml
If Australia had more dung beetles, and more of those which deal specifically with sheep manure, the flies and the fly strike problem would be considerably reduced. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myiasis but this is not considered by those multinational chemical companies who advocate further use of toxic chemicals. And they are the ones who influence government policies…..
These wonderful creatures, the beetles, consume and transform dung into humus. They are in fact, wizards, alchemists - they transform manure into gold. They are worth more than their weight in gold. They are invaluable, beyond price.
The Egyptians highly regarded them. http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/beetles/scarab/index.html
So next time you come across a “bug” or “beetle”, before you thoughtlessly step on it, consider what part it plays in the greater scheme of things, and reconsider your actions. Maybe they have something to teach us all.
http://www.spinelesswonders.com.au/collection/insects/carabidae.html
Bob said,
June 7, 2008 at 3:05 am
Great idea-having had my arm fall off doing the Australian salute. But wouldn’t this cause problems for the Australian eco-system-the beatles that is, not my arm.
There are other instances of biological control like the infamous “cane frog.”
virginia said,
June 7, 2008 at 7:33 am
Good point Bob, about being wary of biological control when it is not researched properly; as you say, the cane toad is causing many ongoing problems.
But these dung beetles are quite different and have been studied for many decades, not forgetting the many native species. The “Australian Salute” is something that developed AFTER the white invasion, and their slovenly lifestyles that led to a dramatic increase in flies and species. Government decreed that the land had to be stocked with sheep at a very high rate; this led to high mortality with the first drought - with millions of carcases piling up the flies multiplied as never before. Some people also believe that the fly came from South Africa with the sheep imported by John Macarthur, the ‘father’ of the sheep industry in Australia.