The Making of an African Oyster - by @capecobragen

in africa •  7 years ago 

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The Dung Beetle - The making of an African Oyster !

The Dung Beetle will gather the Dung of herbivores and roll it off into a hole. It will lay it's egg in the dung. When the egg hatches, the larva eats the dung from the inside out, hollowing the dung ball from the center. It then pupates and emerges as a beetle.

Sometimes as the dung ball is being rolled around by the beetle, it picks up mud or dirt which cakes itself to the outside of the ball. This mud dries and hardens - and this is called an African Oyster.

Animals, like the Honey Badger love these and break them open to eat the growing larva inside.IMG_1249.JPG

The Dung Beetle pushes the dung ball around by standing on it's front legs and pushing the ball backwards.

These photos were taken in the Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa

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It will really be helpfull sir africa

It's really beautiful and awesome photography i like it. Keep it up. Wish you avery happy and bright future.

Wow outstanding photography its really nice

Thanks for share @africaunited

wow its amazing @africaunited

Very good brother @africaunited

wow very excellent post Thanks for sharing i will done upvote..

Please upvote me

I use to see them do that when we were going to the farm or when we went to the Bush to defficate. I think they prefer human faeces more than anything else. Boy i use to hate it when i am shitting and it will be coming for mine. Damnnnnnnn.
Well thank you for a good article that reminds, it brought back memories long forgotten.

Nice pictures. I have always thought the dung beetle is black but seem I am wrong.

Thanks for the post sir @africaunited. I'm always looking forward to reading your post.

i like playing these beetle's before.
specially when i tie it in a little cart, i don't know why i'm so happy seeing a beetle crawling with a cart on its back! hehehe

Nice picture,
amazing is amazing.
What image is @africaunited

I'll stick with Duxbury oysters!

I love the pictures tells a lot

These dung beetles are fascinating... they look almost the same in every country....their jobs are very important in the big scheme of things in nature.

how to make you cool once i'm very full ..👍👍