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dung beetle
noun
: a beetle (such as a tumblebug) that rolls balls of dung in which to lay eggs and on which the larvae feed
Examples of dung beetle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There is also a species of tree frog, a dung beetle and a genus of dinosaurs named after the character.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 13 June 2024
Sheldon and her team have found that smaller dung beetles struggle to dig deep enough to protect their offspring from the warming climate and extreme temperature swings.
—Adam Yamaguchi, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2024
Habitat loss, the use of pesticides and climate change are threatening insects of all shapes and sizes, including the not-so-glamorous dung beetle.
—Adam Yamaguchi, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2024
Animals renowned for their outstanding night vision include owls, cats, tarsiers (a tiny primate in Southeast Asia) -- and even the dung beetle.
—Matthew Solan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dung beetle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dung beetle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1634, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near dung beetle
Cite this Entry
“Dung beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dung%20beetle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
dung beetle
noun
: a beetle (as a tumblebug) that rolls balls of dung in which to lay eggs and on which the larvae feed
More from Merriam-Webster on dung beetle
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dung beetle
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