Effects of Onthophagus gazella F (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on free-living strongyloids of equids.

This research analyzes the impact of the dung-burying beetle, Onthophagus gazella, on the survival of equine strongyle eggs in horse dung in a Texas field, however, no significant differences were found among different beetle populations and control areas.

About the Research

• The study was conducted to understand the relationship between the dung-burying beetle, Onthophagus gazella, and strongyle eggs that are common parasites in horse feces. This interaction was tested in a Texas pasture setting.
• The beetles were introduced to this environment, prompting an investigation into any potential effects they may have on the other organisms already present in the ecosystem.

Study Methodology

• Two beetle populations of 22 and 44 pairs respectively were exposed to 1-kilogram deposits of horse dung, which contained around 545,000 strongyle eggs. This process was carried out for a period of 31 days, near the end of the beetle’s activity season.
• The researchers then collected weekly samples of dung and grass from these areas, as well as from control areas where no beetles were present. The purpose of this was to recover and record the development and survival of the strongyle larvae.

Results and Findings

• The study revealed no significant differences among the three treatments, even at a 95% probability level (a p-value less than 0.05). This means that the impact of the beetle population on the survival and development of strongyle eggs was not statistically significant compared to the control areas where no beetles were introduced.
• Therefore, the introduction of the Onthophagus gazella beetle, under the conditions of this study, did not have a significant effect on the survival of equine strongyle eggs present in the horse dung.