THE COPROPHAGOUS INSECT FAUNA IN SHEEP DUNG AND ITS INFLUENCE ON DUNGDISAPPEARANCE

The composition and succession of the coprophagous insect fauna on she ep dung was studied throughout one year. The influence of the insects on the disappearance of the dung was measured in the field and in the laboratory. The species composition resembled that of cattle dung but successional patterns were much shorter. The activity of the northern temperature coprophagous insect fauna did not lead to a reduction of t he dung in the field during the summer. Only in autumn was activity ve ry high and the organic matter content of the dung was reduced from 85 % to 64% within two weeks. Adult beetles of the subfamily Aphodiinae, and a coprophagous species of the Staphylinidae, did not reduce the am ount of dung in laboratory experiments.