I turned a bison patty around and suddenly I’ve seen this sparkling
suddenly I’ve seen this sparkling
suddenly I’ve seen this sparkling emerald under the bison patty and I
emerald under the bison patty and I
emerald under the bison patty and I didn’t expect it if you find a horny
didn’t expect it if you find a horny
didn’t expect it if you find a horny beetle it’s always a male the rainbow
beetle it’s always a male the rainbow
beetle it’s always a male the rainbow scarabs are amongst the most beautiful
scarabs are amongst the most beautiful
scarabs are amongst the most beautiful of beetles they are not the largest but
of beetles they are not the largest but
of beetles they are not the largest but if you see that shiny exoskeleton these
if you see that shiny exoskeleton these
if you see that shiny exoskeleton these green emerald shiny beetle in the
green emerald shiny beetle in the
green emerald shiny beetle in the sunlight it’s just so amazing that a
sunlight it’s just so amazing that a
sunlight it’s just so amazing that a beetle that lives in poop all of its
beetle that lives in poop all of its
beetle that lives in poop all of its life is so pretty the dung beetle fauna
life is so pretty the dung beetle fauna
life is so pretty the dung beetle fauna in Colorado is very poor is impoverished
in Colorado is very poor is impoverished
in Colorado is very poor is impoverished so in the old times we had 60 million
so in the old times we had 60 million
so in the old times we had 60 million bison on the Great Plains they were
bison on the Great Plains they were
bison on the Great Plains they were eradicated in the late 1800s when we had
eradicated in the late 1800s when we had
eradicated in the late 1800s when we had 60 million bison they pooped over 600
60 million bison they pooped over 600
60 million bison they pooped over 600 million times a day 365 days a year that
million times a day 365 days a year that
million times a day 365 days a year that was a lot of poop so there were
was a lot of poop so there were
was a lot of poop so there were certainly a lot of dung beetles a rich
certainly a lot of dung beetles a rich
certainly a lot of dung beetles a rich dung beetle fauna now well if you go out
dung beetle fauna now well if you go out
dung beetle fauna now well if you go out there and look under a bison paddy you
there and look under a bison paddy you
there and look under a bison paddy you should do that just take one turn it
should do that just take one turn it
should do that just take one turn it around you see there are very few dung
around you see there are very few dung
around you see there are very few dung beetles oh here’s a wonderful fresh
beetles oh here’s a wonderful fresh
beetles oh here’s a wonderful fresh piece of bison poop out here with within
piece of bison poop out here with within
piece of bison poop out here with within a dry area with a lot of wind the poop
a dry area with a lot of wind the poop
a dry area with a lot of wind the poop builds a crust almost immediately
builds a crust almost immediately
builds a crust almost immediately like this what do you see so you can
like this what do you see so you can
like this what do you see so you can touch it with your finger and the finger
touch it with your finger and the finger
touch it with your finger and the finger is still clean because it’s dry lots of
is still clean because it’s dry lots of
is still clean because it’s dry lots of people don’t think about that a small
people don’t think about that a small
people don’t think about that a small group of insects have a serious effect
group of insects have a serious effect
group of insects have a serious effect on our environment or on their
on our environment or on their
on our environment or on their livelihood but they do they’re very
livelihood but they do they’re very
livelihood but they do they’re very efficient recycles of dung of and if you
efficient recycles of dung of and if you
efficient recycles of dung of and if you have lots of those beetles that is a
have lots of those beetles that is a
have lots of those beetles that is a wonderful way to maintain soil quality
wonderful way to maintain soil quality
wonderful way to maintain soil quality because you want to have a fertile soil
because you want to have a fertile soil
because you want to have a fertile soil in the natural grassland it’s very
in the natural grassland it’s very
in the natural grassland it’s very tedious actually to pick all the dung
tedious actually to pick all the dung
tedious actually to pick all the dung beetles out in the field
beetles out in the field
beetles out in the field so what we do we collect the dung in a
so what we do we collect the dung in a
so what we do we collect the dung in a bucket take it home and float it the
bucket take it home and float it the
bucket take it home and float it the dung sinks to the ground but all the
dung sinks to the ground but all the
dung sinks to the ground but all the beetles float on top and it’s just
beetles float on top and it’s just
beetles float on top and it’s just interesting all these brown ones that
interesting all these brown ones that
interesting all these brown ones that I’m collecting right now they haven’t
I’m collecting right now they haven’t
I’m collecting right now they haven’t been in Colorado 20 years ago it just
been in Colorado 20 years ago it just
been in Colorado 20 years ago it just came in in the last 10-15 years and now
came in in the last 10-15 years and now
came in in the last 10-15 years and now they are everywhere and probably the
they are everywhere and probably the
they are everywhere and probably the most common species of dung beetles in
most common species of dung beetles in
most common species of dung beetles in the state the rainbow scarab beetle is
the state the rainbow scarab beetle is
the state the rainbow scarab beetle is very rare we found probably 15 to 20
very rare we found probably 15 to 20
very rare we found probably 15 to 20 amongst 80 thousand specimens we found
amongst 80 thousand specimens we found
amongst 80 thousand specimens we found in the last eight years in our bison
in the last eight years in our bison
in the last eight years in our bison beetle project what we want to study is
beetle project what we want to study is
beetle project what we want to study is if you bring a bison herd back into an
if you bring a bison herd back into an
if you bring a bison herd back into an area and we started that eight years ago
area and we started that eight years ago
area and we started that eight years ago when a small bison herd was brought to
when a small bison herd was brought to
when a small bison herd was brought to Plains Conservation Center site does
Plains Conservation Center site does
Plains Conservation Center site does this have an effect on a on the dung
this have an effect on a on the dung
this have an effect on a on the dung beetle fauna does it regenerate who the
beetle fauna does it regenerate who the
beetle fauna does it regenerate who the native dung beetles become more abundant
native dung beetles become more abundant
native dung beetles become more abundant during these eight years they had about
during these eight years they had about
during these eight years they had about 40 bison on the side now they have it
40 bison on the side now they have it
40 bison on the side now they have it changed to over 300 350 bison and we
changed to over 300 350 bison and we
changed to over 300 350 bison and we will see if that changes the dung beetle
will see if that changes the dung beetle
will see if that changes the dung beetle fauna more dramatically I’ve never found
fauna more dramatically I’ve never found
fauna more dramatically I’ve never found anybody who was not fascinated by these
anybody who was not fascinated by these
anybody who was not fascinated by these beetles until I told them that’s a dung
beetles until I told them that’s a dung
beetles until I told them that’s a dung beetle
beetle
beetle and they were well a little bit
and they were well a little bit
and they were well a little bit irritated because people think dung
irritated because people think dung
irritated because people think dung beetles are ugly and little and brown
beetles are ugly and little and brown
beetles are ugly and little and brown and stinky and that is a wonderful
and stinky and that is a wonderful
and stinky and that is a wonderful pretty jewel of a beetle
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