Dung Beetle Research:

In conjunction with SADA and Creation Care a research program attempting to establish the introduction of three new species of dung beetle on the Fleurieu.

Participating dairy farmers were trained in on-farm dung beetle rearing and management, and in the process three dung beetle species which are new to South Australia, Onthophagus vacca, Bubas bubalus and Copriss hispanus were established on pilot dairy farms across the Fleurieu Peninsula. The project defined the environmental conditions on the Fleurieu Peninsula that are best suited for these three new species to thrive. This will provide guidelines for the future successful distribution of these species on other dairy farms throughout South Australia. 18 test sites across the Fleurieu were selected proving that Dung beetles offer substantial benefits to farmers, particularly in the areas of cattle health and nitrogen replenishment in the soil and carbon sequestration.