We have new visitors … the tumblebug. The video below was captured recently on the ranch showing these insects hard at work.
Throughout our ranching experience, we have encountered various dung beetles. However, this is the first time we’ve come across THIS particular species. We consider them new visitors to the ranch. Unlike the smaller ones that burrow holes into the ground within the manure, THESE tumblebug beetles are incredibly fascinating to observe, as you’ll witness in the video below:
“Tumblebugs” and are a type of Dung Beetle. Adults are often spotted rolling balls of dung larger than themselves across the ground to an underground burrow. Their efforts to move the balls are admirable, though sometimes clumsy in appearance. Females may ride on top on one, helping to roll it with her legs, while males push from below. Once the ball is underground, the female lays a fertilized egg onto the round heap (called a brood ball), which provides the larva with food after it hatches. Other dung balls are rolled and collected as food and consumed by adults.
Tumblebugs are black and have strong legs. Some glossy, some are matte. Some species are smooth and others have dimpled texture on them. All of them are resourceful, making good use of what is typically considered waste.
And this is one of the many fascinating things that can happen on any given day at Rafter W Ranch.
Here are a few more videos of some of the word we are currently doing on the ranch:
And last, but never least … some new family photos we will be adding to the website very soon. This was an amazing photoshoot. Loving these pics so much!
