Pasture-Cleaners

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 26 Nov 2024
  • 293 reads
13 comments
 

(dung beetles)
Some of these beetles roll up balls
of their favourite food source
to bury or first push (navigating backwards
in a straight course
by sunlight or wind if it’s day
or guided by moonlight at night,
or by the faint light from the Milky Way!)
to a place of choice to store for future food
or make into a nursery
for a soon-to-be-born brood,
(incidentally the soil enriched in composition,
improved for water retention).

In Australia long ago, cattle imported
but their poo wasn’t suited
to the native dung beetles,
and the land was plagued with flies,
until the import of the correct species –
the plague resolved, the problem solved,
the dung removed with speed –
an important import indeed!
What a gift to the country,
what a gift to our world
the little beetle’s waste management
cleaning up our environment!

 

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Fascinating - thank you Rhiannon!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thank you, I thought it of interest to share! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you for the cherries. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

My one uncle photographs of insects for some very well respected thick glossy expensive hardcover books, all of it science stuff. Lately he has been studying dung beetles we've got all kinds here. What a strange interest? I haven't seen photos. Well you know he is a real expert on dung too, must be! He's a nice guy, comes over a bit blunt, I get on well with him. Hates smoking though luckily I've given up that.. He is good to my (real!) aunt. Expert on South African birddlife too, loves nature. I've been with them to the farm.

Keep well Riannon! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Sounds very interesting. He must be able to share a lot about the variety and design features of insects and birds down there. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Yes it is fascinating

 

Yes it is fascinating Rhiannon once he starts talking and showing you it's like another personality when he speaks of his research and actually shows you. He recently gave me some old mathmatics textbooks, some beautiiful books and some classics I wish I had time for everyithing.

Keep well! Tom

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Well done on your cherrries!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Hope you enjoy dipping into them! Rh

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Cheer up!

 

Submitted by marandina on

"What a gift to the country,
what a gift to our world
the little beetle’s waste management
cleaning up our environment!"

I enjoyed the pulsing rhythm and rhyme of this.

It really is an interesting story and very relevant in today's eco-conscious world. If only we could find solutions like this every day.

Very nicely done, Rhiannon.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Paul. It is amazing how many problems are resolved or helped when studying the devices already in creation! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This is such an imaginative poem Rhiannon. Who would think you could create such beauty from a dung beetle...very clever.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny! But also who would think there is such beauty and usefulness in the design and work of the little beetle! Rhiannon