New dung beetles at work in Western Australia

The activities and adult appearance of scarabaeids that have been introduced into Western Australia for the biological control of dung and flies that breed in it are reviewed. The native beetles, especially Onthophagus ferox Har., are mainly active in winter; the introduced species, of which O. binodis (Thnb.), Onitis alexis Klug and Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche) are established in Western Australia and Onthophagus gazellus (F.) in tropical Australia, are mainly active in summer and have already produced some spectacular results. Some attention has been paid in Australia to histerids that prey on fly larvae and mites that prey on the eggs and larvae of flies as potential biological control agents.