The minotaur beetle - a down-to-earth devourer of dung

The minotaur couple work together to provision their young with food, helping to keep our planet functioningInvertebrate of the year 2024: all hail Earth's spineless heroesNominate your UK invertebrate species of the yearIf you're a what-have-they-ever-done-for-us? sort of voter, you will be won over by the minotaur beetle. It's as spectacular as any beetle, the shiny black male sporting three bullish horns on their thorax. But the minotaur is also one of that great hidden army of invertebrates who keep our planet functioning - clean and fertile - without us even knowing.The minotaur is a dung beetle and roams across grassland and heathland at night devouring mammalian droppings.Welcome to the Guardian's UK invertebrate of the year competition. Every day between 2 April and 12 April we'll be profiling one of the incredible invertebrates that live in and around the UK. Let us know which invertebrates you think we should be including here. And at midnight on Friday 12 April, voting will open to decide which is our favourite invertebrate - for now - with the winner to be announced on Monday 15 April. Continue reading...