2 CIRCULAR 3 51, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



species needs considerable room for dung rolling an outside cage is 

 more desirable. 



Onthophagus can be reared in pint mason jars containing 2 inches 

 of sand on which is placed a small quantity of clung. By emptying 

 the jar every few days the parent beetles and the pellets of manure 

 containing the eggs can be recovered. 



The immature stages of Aphodius and Ataenius have not been 

 studied in the laboratory, but they can probably be reared in fresh, 

 uninfested cow dung on sand or soil in a small cage. They do not 

 roll or bury dung, but pass their immature existence within the 

 dropping. , 



HABITS OF VARIOUS COPROPHAGOUS BEETLES 

 COPRIS REMOTUS Lee. 



This coprophagan makes its burrow at the margin of dung. Cat- 

 tle droppings are usually utilized, but on one occasion a burrow was 

 found at the edge of carnivore dung, and at another time several 

 burrows were examined near the contents of the paunch of a sheep 

 carcass. After a burrow has been excavated, the beetle grasps a 

 small portion of dung with its fore legs and backs down into the 

 tunnel, returning in a few minutes to repeat the procedure and con- 

 tinuing for one-half to 2 days. The beetles are very cautious, and 

 movements of the observer cause a quick retreat into the tunnel. 



The female makes 2 types of burrows, 1 for feeding and 1 

 for rearing progeny. If the dung is to be used for adult food, it 

 is shaped into a ball an inch or less in diameter and placed in a 

 circular cavity at the lower end of a 4- to 8-inch burrow, similar to 

 that made by Copris tullius Oliv. 1 The cavity for the rearing of 

 progeny is much the same except that it is larger, deeper in the 

 ground, and a larger portion of dung is shaped or kneaded into a 

 flat mass about 1 inch thick and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. From 

 this mass are constructed the ovoid to spherical egg balls, the diame- 

 ters of which average 1 inch and three-fourths inch. The balls are 

 formed one at a time and the entire procedure requires 2 to 3 days. 

 From 1 to 8 egg balls have been found in a nest, but the usual 

 number is 4 to 6 (fig. 1). Whenever the nests of this species were 

 examined, the female beetle was invariably in the cavity with her 

 progeny. Further study revealed that after oviposition is completed 

 she plugs the opening to the tunnel and remains with her progeny, 

 hovering about and over the balls until the larvae complete develop- 

 ment and emerge as adults. 2 After about 2 weeks the balls were very 

 smooth and had no ragged surfaces such as are characteristic soon 

 after construction. Apparently the beetle occupies her time in pol- 

 ishing and caring for the balls and probably guards against possible 

 enemies. Fresh dung was frequently put in the box, but the beetle 



1 L-INDQUIST, A. W. AMOUNT OF DUNG BURIED AND SOIL EXCAVATED BY CERTAIN COPRINI 



(scarabaeidae) (i). Jour. Kans. Ent. Soc. 6 : 109--125, illus. 1933. 



2 Similar -observations on Copris hispanus L. were made in Europe by Fabre as reported 

 in tbe following publication : Fabre, J. H. souvenirs entomologiques . . . etudes sur 

 l'instinct et les moeurs des insectes. v. 8, pp. 128-150. 1897. Fabre's account was 

 included in a translation of some of his works, by Teixeira de Mattos : Teixeira de 



MATTOS, A. [L. ] THE SACRED BEETLE AND OTHERS, BY J. HENRI FABRE. 425 pp. NeW 



York. 1924. This apparent parental care was observed in the case of Scarabeus 

 sacer L. in Corsica. Goodman, A. de B. observations on the life-history of 

 scarabeus sacer. So. London Ent. and Nat. Hist. Soc. Proc. 1927-28 : 42-47. [1928.] 



