The repair of larval cells and other larval activities in Geotrupes spiniger Marsham and other species (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae)

G. spiniger larvae repaired openings in their cells by excavating dung from the brood-mass and placing it in the edge of the hole. Thrusting with the head sealed small holes but pushed dung away from larger defects. Sliding and somersaulting movements allowed repair of different parts of a defect. Repair was provoked by contact with the defect, not by changes in humidity. 2. Dung excavated at the anterior end of the cell was transferred by somersaulting, and thrust into the posterior end to seal off foreign bodies. Burrowing by the larvae depended on similar behaviour which moved the whole cell within the brood-mass. 3. Larvae were sensitive to surface contact, making a coordinated attack on a source of stimulation. They also moved towards dung and wet soil. 4. Fluid regurgitated by disturbed larvae killed blowfly larvae when injected, and repelled earthworms. 5. To construct a pupal cell, excavated material was transferred by somersaulting and used to build a transverse partition without the usual vigorous thrusting movements. The ability to re-initiate pupal cell formation was retained for about 4 days. 6. Larvae enclosed in artificial brood-balls enlarged defects while attempting to repair them, but larvae just prior to pupation taken from recently made pupal cells could repair such defects. 7. Aphodius fossor larvae rarely attempted to repair openings in their cells and usually escaped by burrowing (as above), but opening a recent pupal cell always provoked repair. 8. Repair by G. spiniger larvae is closely related to other larval activities but lacks several features that are important for repair by species developing in freestanding brood-balls.