Aphodius prodromus

This rather cylindrical looking Dung Beetle has yellow-brown ribbed elytra with a black thorax. Length 5 to 7 mm. It is possibly the commonest of the dung beetles but is very similar to Aphodius sphacelatus. 

Aphodius sphacelatus looks almost identical but this species has a suture line running across the pronotum. Also the 8th elytral stria stops abruptly, nor reaching towards the pronotum as far as the other striae. A good quality image is needed to show the presence or absence of the suture line.

Often around herbivorous animals or in their dung.

Peaks are from February to June and September to November.

They feed on all sorts of herbivorous dung.

Fairly common and widespread in England and Wales.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 79 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.