dung beetle

noun

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

dung beetle

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of dung beetle¹

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.”

Read more on 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.

Read more on Salon

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

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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.

Read more on Science Daily

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

Read more on New York Times