Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Scarabaeoidea » Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeidae) » Dung Beetles (Scarabaeinae) » Onthophagini » Onthophagus » Bull Headed Dung Beetle (Onthophagus taurus)
Photo#91803
Dung beetle - Onthophagus taurus - female
Copyright © 2007 Brad Barnd

Dung beetle - Onthophagus taurus - Female
Hamilton County, Indiana, USA
July 21, 2002
Size: ~ 9 mm
This gal flew into my mouth while I was driving. Yum!
Contributed by Brad Barnd on 3 January, 2007 - 11:35pm
Last updated 29 January, 2011 - 8:25pm

Tasty!
Hey, that's supposed to scare you off. I was reading "An Inordinant Fondness for Beetles" today, and it mentioned dung beetle larvae waving the stuff about when being attacked by predators. Looks like the adults take more direct action!
… Ron Hemberger, 3 January, 2007 - 11:53pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo