Besouros rola-bosta: insetos beneficos das pastagens

The dung beetles are insects that benefit the pastures of cattle one area due to its performance in relation to this type of environment. They use, mainly, dung masses and remaining portions of dead animals as alimentary source and reproduction. They help to incorporate these materials in the ground, and act in the natural biological control of bovine parasites. However, current practical the cattle ones be negative affected community of these beetles. The intention of this work is to display some results of studies on these beetles and to divulge its beneficial potentialities. Had been mounted pitfall traps baited, in two distant transects 50 m one of the other and 30 m between traps, in an occupied area of natural field to the bovine flock in the Embrapa Pecuária Sul, between Dec/2006 May/2007. Had been identified 16 species pertaining to the nine genus of the family. The community of the dung beetles demonstrated, until the moment, sufficiently rich being in species, possessing characteristic of behavior alimentary and reproduction that contributes positively for the cattle maintenance of agroecosystems.