We heard back from What's that Bug.
It looks like we have a rainbow scarab which is a type of dung beetle.
These beetles are related to the scarab of ancient Egypt.
It is not common for these beetles to be out and about. Usually they have to be observed in their habitats. The adults work in pairs to dig deep burrows under animal dung with their front legs. We were fortunate enough to see this female without digging!
The males have a long, curved horn on the front of their heads. Interestingly enough, their color comes from the insect fauna in the dung.
As you can imagine, these beetles are important for recycling animal feces.
Wow. That is definitely something I never would have learned before homeschooling! :)
Wishing you homeschool blessings,
Bethany
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3 comments:
Okay so dung beetles are incredibly gross, but they have such pretty colors. That just does not seem fair.
Thanks for linking up to Science Sunday!
What useful little creatures...Rainbow Scarab sounds so much more beautiful. We can just leave it at that!
Thanks for sharing your entry and for setting a great example in digging deeper to find the answer to the identity of this insect.
wow, they are beautiful.
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