The small creatures - Insects, Invertebrates and bugs

[Spalea]

" All things found out in the natural world; the big and the small, play some sort of role in the sustainability of the environment.
These little critters, dung beetles, play one of the most important roles when it comes to the natural and agricultural ecosystem.
The majority of the species use the faecal material of various animals for food and to provide brood balls for the larvae, which live in chambers or burrows in the ground.
In doing this, dung beetles aerate and mix the soil by burrowing, and increase the organic matter content of the soil by burying dung.
These changes improve the water holding capacity and nutrient availability of the soil, with associated benefits to plants.
Also by burying dung, they provide an important food source for decomposers, and reduce resources for the larvae of economic insect pests such as those annoying bush flies.
Quite incredible to think that such a tiny creature holds such a huge responsibility. "

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