Ynghylch

The minotaur beetle is a large, round dung beetle found on sandy grassland and heathland, where it feeds on rabbit droppings and other dung, often at night. Adults emerge in autumn, but still need to mature in order to breed, so undergo an intense feeding period. If the weather is mild, they may start breeding in early winter.

They nest in tunnels that can be up to 1.5 metres deep, where they lay their eggs and provide dung for the larvae to feed on; they drag the dung back to their nest using their strong front legs. The males use their 'horns' to defend the nest. By the following summer, their cycle is completed and the adults will die to make way for the next generation.