Dung Beetle Dilemma: What Happens to the Unexpected Guests? – Issue #115

Hello Explorer,
Happy New Year! May 2025 be a very blessed and prosperous Year for you!

Over the last two newsletters we have been looking at Dung Beetle trapping. If you are interested in reading more you can find out more about the trapping itself in Dung Beetle Trap Restaurants - Issue #113, and about how the traps work in Why Dung Beetle Trap Restaurants Work - Issue 114. This week I want to discuss a question that a reader asked after looking at the trap photo in Issue #113, What happens to all the other invertebrates that are caught in the traps?
The non-target species are known as bycatch, and they pitch up in almost all types of traps. Firstly, and foremost, it is important to note that it is never the intention of any Entomologist to catch bycatch, as it means extra work and unnecessary invertebrates that are caught. The bycatch is always sorted and stored at the bare minimum, as often they do not have any influence on the research that is being conducted.
It might not always be mentioned in your report or paper, but it is important to make sure that all the species in the trap have been identified as far as possible. The reason for this is that some of the so-called bycatch in the trap might have an influence on what you caught. A simple example of this is a dung beetle predator that ate a bunch of the dung beetles that were in the trap. In other instances, it might be that the smell of one ant species that is in the trap might repel other ant species from coming near that specific trap.
In larger studies the bycatch can even assist other researchers in finding certain species, or just with species record for a new location that they haven’t sampled in yet. Believe it or not, there are vast sampling gaps in South Africa and throughout the entire world, that has had very little to no sampling ever.
Bycatch is kept and donated to a museum or similar large collection for future reference, if it is not used or needed in the current study. As such nothing goes to waste, and specimens that are collected can be used in future studies.
Have you ever wondered about bycatch? Did you know that bycatch in Entomology is never for nothing and might even lead to new species discoveries?

If you would like to send me a message with your answers, feel free to do so on Instagram or Twitter @abugmanslife or via email to [email protected].

Meet Bugman!

Hi there, I'm Ludwig. As a passionate entomologist, I'm fascinated by the incredible world of insects! Did you know a termite queen can live for up to 50 years? Through this newsletter, I hope to share my experiences and ignite your curiosity about the vital role these tiny creatures play in our ecosystems. Let's Explore, Discover, and Share the wonders of the insect world together!  Next time you're outside, see if you can spot some fascinating ants or praying mantids – you might be surprised by what you discover!