Awel Y Grug Diweddariad prosiect - Gorffennaf 2024

AwelMae Awel y Grug cynnal prosiect i ymchwilio i driniaeth ddethol wedi’i thargedu gyda’r defaid i wella eu rheolaeth o lyngyr endoparasitaidd. Gall triniaethau anthelminitig, yn enwedig ivermectin, effeithio’n andwyol ar boblogaethau chwilod y dom, ac i ategu at y prosiect, mae archwiliadau chwilod y dom wedi cael eu cynnal. Gall chwilod y dom gynnig amrywiaeth o fuddion o gynyddu gallu’r pridd i gylchu maetholion i rwystro plâu da byw.

O ganlyniad i drefn y system reoli a’r prosiect, ni fyddwn yn gallu profi a yw’r prosiect yn cael effaith gadarnhaol ar niferoedd chwilod y dom gan fod pob grŵp triniaeth yn rhedeg ar yr un pryd. Ceir ffactorau eraill sy’n gwneud hyn yn anoddach megis y ffaith bod y chwilod yn gallu hedfan, ac felly’n gallu symud yn rhwydd rhwng lleoliadau. Mae gwahanol rywogaethau yn bresennol ar wahanol adegau o’r flwyddyn, ac felly mae niferoedd y boblogaeth yn amrywio’n naturiol ac mae’r tywydd hefyd yn gallu effeithio ar y boblogaeth.

Fodd bynnag, o ganlyniad i’r gwasanaeth sylweddol y mae chwilod y dom yn ei ddarparu ar ffermydd da byw, bydd y prosiect hwn yn cynnig platfform gwerthfawr i drafod eu rôl a’r camau y gall ffermwyr eu cymryd i’w gwarchod.

Cafodd tri chae eu harolygu ar 15 Gorffennaf 2024 yn y parsel o dir ger Chwarel Tan y Foel. Dangosir y tri chae yn ffigur 1. Gall chwilod y dom gymryd 24 - 48 awr i symud i garthion ffres, felly mae’n well peidio ag arolygu carthion ffres iawn. Mae’r amseroedd lle’r oedd y defaid yn pori’r cae mewn perthynas â’r arolwg hefyd yn cael eu nodi ar y llun isod. Roedd y caeau’n cael eu pori gan famogiaid ac ŵyn a oedd wedi derbyn triniaeth llyngyr oddeutu wythnos cyn yr arolwg. survey.

Ffigur 1. Llun yn dangos y safleoedd samplu

Casglwyd tail o bob cae mewn bagiau plastig fel y gwelir yn ffigur 2. Cerddwyd yn igam ogam ar draws pob cae i gasglu tail ar hap.
 

Figure 2. Samples being collected

The ten pats were then emptied into a bucket of clean water and the pats were broken up. This releases the dung beetles and they float to the surface.

Figure 3. Breaking up the pats to release beetles

Figure 4. Beetles floating in the water bucket following being released from the pats

Figure 5. Beetles and other insects floating in the water bucket following being released from the pats

The beetles from the three fields were collected into separate sample pots and taken away for further identification. The images shown below are the beetles found in each field. It is important to note that this type of survey is only indicative of their presence and species and the actual counts should not be read as an indication of abundance.

The beetles in figure 6 were collected from the field where the sheep were grazing on day of sampling
 

Figure 6. Dung beetles collected from the field where the sheep were grazing on day of sampling

The beetles in figure 7 were collected from the field where the sheep had been removed 1 day prior to sampling.

Figure 7. Dung beetles collected from the field where the sheep had been removed 1 day prior to sampling

The beetles in figure 8 were collected from the field where the sheep were removed 4 days prior to sampling.

Figure 8. dung beetles collected from the field where the sheep were removed 4 days prior to sampling

Some of the beetles in figure 8 have phoretic mites attached to them and this is shown more clearly in figure 9. These mites hitch a lift on the beetles and cause the beetles no harm at all. However, they also have an important role to play as they feed on the larvae of parasitic flies in the dung

Figure 9. Close-up of phoretic mites attached to dung beetles

There are also beetles other than dung beetles that live in dung. Some examples of these are shown in figure 10. These are also predatory beetles that eat the larvae of other insects and therefore also play a role in controlling parasitic flies.

Figure 10. Examples of beetles other than dung beetles that live in dung, found at Awel y Grug