Male and Female Dung Beetles Team Up for Ball Rolling

Spider dung beetles were once thought to be the only example of non-human animals working together towards a common goal, without knowing the destination of the object they are moving.

Dung beetles sometimes face obstacles while rolling their dung balls. In order to avoid losing their precious balls, they seek the help of a partner who can perform a headstand. When two dung beetles work together, the male grabs the dung ball from above while the female goes into a headstand position and uses her legs to push the ball off the ground.

Researchers have observed this careful coordination between dung beetles to overcome obstacles. The cooperative behavior between spider dung beetles is believed to be a unique example of animals working together to move objects without knowing their final destination.

Ants and social spiders work together to transport food and prey to their nests and shelters, respectively. They have a clear sense of direction and know when they have reached their destination. However, with dung beetles, the process is different. Mated pairs start rolling their dung balls without a specific destination in mind.

“It’s the first species that’s been recorded that can coordinate transport in this way,” said Dr Claudia Tocco, who studies animal behaviour at Lund University in Sweden. “They don’t know where they are going, but they can still coordinate to move the object together.”

The Surprising Dynamics of Dung Beetle Pairs in Overcoming Obstacles

Tocco conducted research on dung beetles that inhabit South Africa with the aim of understanding the benefits of pairing up. In certain species of dung beetles, females hitch a ride by holding on to balls of dung or follow behind their male counterparts who roll the dung balls.

In her research, she allowed dung beetles to access cow dung and observed their behavior when faced with obstacles of varying heights. The study compared how well single beetles and mating pairs were able to roll the dung balls.

The species of dung beetles used in the experiment typically live in forested areas and frequently encounter obstructions like rocks and plants. These beetles bury the dung balls either for consumption or to lay eggs in.

The researcher discovered that male beetles consistently perform the task of dragging dung balls by clutching them with their front legs while walking backwards. In contrast, females always assist from behind by walking backwards with their rear legs placed on the ball.

When on a flat surface, pairs of beetles rolled at the same speed as single males. However, when faced with obstacles, the couples showed an impressive surge in their performance. When faced with walls as high as 9cm, the males started climbing and dragging the ball up.

Meanwhile, females turned themselves upside down and used their legs to push the ball off the ground. Once the ball was off the ground, the females held onto it as the male pulled it up, lifting around 10 times his body weight.

According to a report published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, male animals would sometimes cling to walls using only one claw, and females would come to their aid when they lost their grip. Pairs of beetles were faster than single ones and more efficient over obstacles, which would be “extremely beneficial” in the forest, the authors noted.

Although pairing up makes sense, the means by which the beetles coordinate their actions remains a mystery. “How does a beetle with a brain smaller than a grain of rice communicate? And how do they coordinate with each other in performing this task?” said Tocco. “They don’t know where they are going.”

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