dung beetle

American  

noun

1. any of various scarab beetles that feed on or breed in dung.

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dung beetle British  

noun

1. any of the various beetles of the family Scarabaeidae and related families that feed on or breed in dung

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Etymology

Origin of dung beetle

First recorded in 1625–35

Example Sentences

And when describing her underachieving brother’s shortcomings, she says, “He’s got the brains of a dung beetle and the ambitions of a French bureaucrat.”

From Los Angeles Times

The dung beetle, which disperses seeds as it rolls its dung balls, fertilizing topsoil and enhancing biodiversity and engineering its environment, normally orients itself using the Milky Way and the moon.

From Salon

Dr Daniel tells me that he has already discovered what he believes are 15 new species of dung beetles.

From BBC

They have found that dung beetles' source of food is never at the same location, and consequently they have an extremely limited way of memorising environmental cues around the dung.

From Science Daily

Here was something new and unusual for American audiences, invariably described as a “dung beetle” game or a “snowball simulator.”

From New York Times