Has anyone ever bought dung beetles?

[PonyRiderMom]

I am reading that in the PNW, there are not a lot of dung beetles. I looked around, and you can buy them. Has anyone ever done this? If so, did it help your pasture health? It’s not exactly cheap so I thought I’d ask first.

I’ve got about 5-6 acres of grazable land for four horses. I already have a dry lot planned, and one of them will be muzzled. But I’m trying to think of what else I can do to keep my pastures healthy.

Thank you!

[Bluey]

We had friends ask for them, we picked some for them, warning they bite!
Friends said afterwards they found they had plenty, just had not looked hard enough.

Are sure you don’t have more than you think?

[PonyRiderMom]

No, I’m not sure. But there hasn’t been livestock on these pastures for decades, so it seems like there wouldn’t be a lot. I mean, there hasn’t been any dung for them.

I had no idea they would bite!

[Scribbler]

My first thought would be to figure out what naturally fills that niche in your specific ecosystem. If the insect isn’t native it will either die off fast, or become an invasive if it thrives.

Here in the PNW slugs make fast work of horse manure on trails. Also birds and rats pick it apart for grain. And we have manure gnats too.

I Googled dung beetles. They are widespread but don’t thrive in very wet conditions. Hard to roll dung balls in the rain!

Pasture health in PNW usually involves rotating fields over spring summer fall, then staying off the fields from November to April so they don’t get killed by hooves in the rain. You can run a dung spreader in the fall. IME horses don’t like to eat grass grown up out of fresh manure or even sometimes year old manure.

[gradytb]

OMG! I’m in TX and this year is seeing a dung beetle (and pillbug and katydid) explosion. They’re everywhere in my barn and in my house!!! I"ve never had them in my house in this quantity in the 21 years I’ve been here. I’d gladly give you every single one of these stinkin bugs!!