Insects digest fecal waste: dung beetles

1 of 3 Two dung beetles fighting for a dung ball / Rafael Brix / License

Dung beetles play an important role in nutrient cycling and soil generation because they feed on and bury feces.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Maintain community >
	Provide ecosystem services >
	Detoxification/purification of air/water/waste

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Fecal digestion enzymes to aid/speed up waste management.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"During parts of the year in India, dung beetles bury an estimated forty to fifty thousand tons of human excrement each day." (Crump 2005:73)

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About the inspiring organism

Scarabaeoidea
Scarabaeoidea

Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Fecal digestion enzymes to aid/speed up waste management.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Waste management

References

Crump, M. 2005. Headless Males Make Great Lovers & Other Unusual Natural Histories. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 199 p.

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Comments

These natural scavengers are mankind's boon to keep the environment free from solid wastes.but ...

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