# Springtime Dung Beetle (*Trypocopris vernalis*) The Springtime Dung Beetle is a small, shiny bug that loves to roll balls of dung! They help keep the environment clean by breaking down waste and returning nutrients to the soil. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Springtime Dung Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Geotrupes_vernalis_%28Linn%C3%A9%252C_1758%29_Syn.-_Trypocopris_vernalis_%28Linn%C3%A9%252C_1758%29_%2819282920160%29.png&width=800) Photo: Udo Schmidt from Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geotrupes_vernalis_%28Linn%C3%A9%252C_1758%29_Syn.-_Trypocopris_vernalis_%28Linn%C3%A9%252C_1758%29_%2819282920160%29.png) ## Appearance The Springtime Dung Beetle is a robust, oval-shaped insect, typically 12-19mm long. It has a striking, metallic sheen, often appearing iridescent green, blue, or purple. Its strong, spiny legs are adapted for digging, distinguishing it from many other beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Geotrupidae - **Genus:** Trypocopris ## Interesting facts - Adult dung beetles don't eat solid dung; they drink the nutrient-rich liquids! - Baby dung beetles hatch and grow inside carefully prepared balls of buried dung! - Dung beetles are nature's best recyclers, preventing flies and parasites from spreading! - Some dung beetles are amazing navigators, using the Milky Way to find their way! ## Special abilities - **Dung-Sensing Super Sniffer:** Springtime Dung Beetle can locate fresh animal droppings from astonishing distances because of its highly sensitive antennae that help them find food. - **Underground Architect:** Springtime Dung Beetle has powerful, spade-like front legs that help them dig complex tunnels and chambers to bury dung. - **Dung Ball Roller:** Springtime Dung Beetle can meticulously shape and roll balls of dung many times its own weight that helps them transport food for their young. - **Hidden Navigator:** Springtime Dung Beetle can navigate using polarized light or even the Milky Way because of specialized eye receptors that help them find their way at night. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 18-29 mm - **Size:** 12-19 mm - **Lifespan:** 150-300 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Tiny architects of waste, they feast on animal dung to survive and thrive! - **Age differences:** Larvae consume buried dung, while adults mainly drink nutrient-rich liquids from it. - **Primary Foods:** Herbivore dung, Cow pats, Horse droppings, Deer pellets - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Magpie](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-magpie) (*Pica pica*) — Magpies often forage for beetles on the ground. - **Depends on:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — Cattle provide essential dung for food and breeding. - **Eaten by:** [European Badger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-badger) (*Meles meles*) — Badgers dig up and consume beetles, including dung beetles. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't touch insects without asking an adult, and wash your hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Springtime Dung Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Springtime Dung Beetle's wingspan? 18-29 mm ### How big is Springtime Dung Beetle? 12-19 mm ### How long does Springtime Dung Beetle live? 150-300 days ### How fast can Springtime Dung Beetle fly? 5-10 km/h ### What does Springtime Dung Beetle eat? Tiny architects of waste, they feast on animal dung to survive and thrive! ### Where is Springtime Dung Beetle usually found? Grasslands ### How does Springtime Dung Beetle hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Springtime Dung Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/springtime-dung-beetle)