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🇦🇺 Australia /Environment & Climate

Thousands of dung beetles exchanged via post to boost Australian farms

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Thousands of live dung beetles were recently exchanged via express post between South Australia and Tasmania.
  • The annual agricultural exchange, now in its fifth year, aims to ensure continuous manure burial by cycling through different beetle species.
  • This initiative helps farmers like Matthew Gunningham improve soil aeration, drainage, and fertility on their organic dairy farms.

An unusual and buzzing exchange took place recently as thousands of live dung beetles traveled via express post from South Australia to Tasmania. Tom O'Malley, a landcare facilitator, collected the packages at his local post office, noting that the distinct sounds of the beetles could be heard from several meters away.

You can hear it buzzing from five or 10 metres away.

— Tom O'MalleyO'Malley described the audible presence of the dung beetles upon arrival.

The shipment of 8,400 Bubas bison tunnelling dung beetles is part of a unique annual agricultural exchange that began five years ago. The initiative was sparked by a conversation between O'Malley and South Australian farmer Matthew Robertson, who were looking to supplement each other's dung beetle populations.

Robertson had an established Bubas bison population active during winter and spring, while O'Malley had an abundance of blue bomber beetles active in summer and autumn. This exchange ensures that livestock manure is continuously buried throughout the year, a critical process for soil health.

You can literally hear them moving around in the packaging.

— Tom O'MalleyO'Malley emphasized the liveliness of the beetles even within their packaging.

Dairy farmer Matthew Gunningham, who received a thousand Bubas bison beetles for his property in Tasmania, highlighted the beetles' significant role in organic farming. "As organic farmers, we have very limited inputs that we can use, so we're always looking for ways to harness nature to make our farm more productive and more resilient," Gunningham stated. He explained that the beetles mix dung with the soil, improving aeration, drainage, and fertility in the paddocks.

Hopefully Matthew can benefit from a species we have a lot of here … when he doesn't have a lot of activity.

— Tom O'MalleyO'Malley explained the mutual benefit of the dung beetle exchange.

This is Gunningham's third year participating in the exchange, and he has observed the Bubas bison population beginning to establish on his farm. O'Malley plans to continue releasing these species onto Tasmanian farms to ensure their successful establishment.

And conversely, we can hopefully benefit … from a species that he has an absolute abundance of over there.

— Tom O'MalleyO'Malley further elaborated on the reciprocal advantages of the exchange.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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