Where this Aphodius rubripennis dung beetle was heading along the side of my house, I do not know!

Dung beetle, I really don’t think you want to go in there…

I’m telling you, dung beetle boy, you don’t want to go in there!

When I saw this beetle I did not pay it much attention, but since I have identified it, I regret not giving it some more love. To my knowledge (to date, it’s a fluid situation), this is my first documented dung beetle of any kind! Woohoo for poop-loving beetles!

I actually don’t know if this one subsists on dung; BugGuide says some “many feed on dung, some are detritivores, psammophiles, saprophages, inquilines with ants or termites, or may potentially be predators; adults with reduced mandibles are suspected to feed primarily on bacteria or yeast-rich fluids in dung or decaying materials.” But it’s in the club (i.e. taxon), so it counts!

I think it’s a handsome beetle; the spiked, fuzzy legs and the triangular shape through the semi-opaque elytra (wing covers) are particularly striking. Memory is shaky, but I think it was fairly active and it was also haphazardly walking on and underneath the outside casing of a bay window. Being a tall fellow, I don’t like to stick my head too much, which may explain my neglect. I think future-me would have told then-me to suck it up. This situation was probably a good time to relocate the bug to a more desirable location. Still, I don’t like to mess with them (i.e. touch them) if I don’t have to. I’m pretty careful when I do handle a bug, but I never know when clumsiness will strike (and it has to very bad effect before, I hate to admit). Usually it’s better to let them be, or beetle in this case.