Dor Beetle covered in mites

Observed by lpearce on 15th September 2009

This beetle flew into the garden and was as you can see covered in mites which gives the beetle it's other common name of 'lousy watchman'. I see from the internet that there is a divergence of opinion as to whether the mites are parasitic (drawing nourishment from the host) or phoretic (using the host as a means of transport)
For some interesting background on the beetle see http://www.earthlife.net/insects/dung.html