Dung beetles in the British Isles are a vital part of their associated ecosystems but have been historically rather overlooked probably due to their chosen habitat. Now our native dung beetles are finally beginning to get some of the invertebrate limelight due to an emphasis on ecosystem services and a much more environmentally friendly farming future. However we are lacking on a great deal of base data about these vitally important species and surveying is the one of the best ways to get information. This means getting into dung and discovering these unsung heroes.

Sally-Ann Spence, a farmer, educator and researcher, co-founded the Dung Beetle UK Mapping Project (DUMP) to survey, record, conserve and research our native dung beetles.

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