Dung Beetles in Southern California?

Thanks Mantisboy for the suggestions. Yes, I think dung beetle collecting California is not too common. I have read a few articles that there are quite a few species of dung beetles that have been imported and are continuing to breed and thrive in California. Maybe somebody out there will report catching at least one dung beetle in So Calif.

Garin, try the chino area or anywhere there is open land adjacent to a farm or ranch. Some of the areas in the Temecula area down to San Diego and even near the Antelope Valley might be good. I've collected a few but haven't sampled so cal much since there is not much open area anymore. Now, if you hit the desert areas, you might collect some nice Bolbocerines.

At first, find some farm with animals, like cows, horses, sheep or wild ones ( rabbit, deer, ground squirrel or whatever lives in CA ). Then set up your traps near. It is pointless to set it up anywhere without knowing or seeing some " dung producers " . Scarabaeids moving their colonies quite often. If in one place the farmer stops graze, then the beetles ( part of it, because the other part dies ), fly as far as possible till they find some new source of food. Good is to find a rabbit colony. They have their " toilets ", so you can put the trap directly there. And good thing is to dig a bit inside of their burrows, get as much of the ground out as possible and check it properly. The best species lives inside of the mammals burrows, not only rabbits. Watch out for snakes ! Good luck !