Telocoprid beetles pack dung into spherical masses which are then rolled some distance from the dung pat for subsequent burial. Endocoprids nest within dung pat itself. Paracoprids burrow into the ground under the dung pat to provision brood chambers with dung. Within each of these broad classes there are differences in nest structure and depth. A dung pat that is colonized by representatives of each of these groups is therefore fragmented and deposited at varying distances, both laterally and vertically, from the original site.
Dietary preference is another factor affecting the quantity of dung buried.
In addition to dietary preferences, habitat preference can influence the amount and location of dung buried by dung beetles. Osberg, et al. Soil hardness and clay content both affected the beetles' preference or ability to construct brood chambers.