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The Dung Beetle Gets Its Due At BugFest

WUNC | By Frank Stasio,
Laura Pellicer
Published September 11, 2019 at 12:35 PM EDT

The work of dung beetles is not sexy, but it has a monumental impact on our ecosystem. They break down feces, recycle nutrients and help control the spread of disease.

Clyde Sorenson with a hercules beetle.
Credit Courtesy of Clyde Sorenson
Clyde Sorenson with a hercules beetle.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with entomologist Clyde Sorenson and Kelly Oten of the North Carolina Forest Service about North Carolina beetles.

North Carolina is home to 30 species of dung beetle whose diverse behaviors are celebrated at this year’s BugFest at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Host Frank Stasio speaks with Clyde Sorenson, an entomologist at NC State, who shares the economic and ecological importance of the dung beetle and his recent discovery about synchronous fireflies that glow in unison.

Kelly Oten of the North Carolina Forest Service joins the conversation to talk about a species of beetle that’s causing some ecological problems: the emerald ash borer. It’s a beetle variety that is ravaging ash trees across the state. The museum’s 24th annual BugFest takes place Saturday, Sept. 21 in downtown Raleigh.

A six-spot tiger beetle.
/ Courtesy of Clyde Sorenson
A six-spot tiger beetle.
A stag beetle.
/ Courtesy of Clyde Sorenson
A stag beetle.
A pecan weevil.
/ Courtesy of Clyde Sorenson
A pecan weevil.
A caterpillar hunter.
/ Courtesy of Clyde Sorenson
A caterpillar hunter.

Copyright 2019 North Carolina Public Radio
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio
Laura Pellicer
Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
See stories by Laura Pellicer