Today I received a package from Brandon Woo, (AKA Metrioptera on Bugguide), which contained larvae from several Tenebrionid species he is keeping. He wanted to focus on the rearing of other insects instead of working on rearing these, so he was kind enough to send them my way. 😊
First off, he sent me a few Asbolus verrucosus larvae, I counted three so far, but apparently he sent four or five, so I'll check their shipping enclosure again, just in case! This species is very commonly kept in the hobby, and is known as the "Blue Death Feigning Beetle". They are also notoriously difficult to breed in captivity, and Brandon wasn't even expecting his to lay eggs!
Hopefully I can rear these larvae to adulthood, the most difficult part of keeping this species seems to be inducing pupation, many mature larvae that are isolated for pupation just die instead of pupating. One keeper has been successful by putting mature larvae in deli cups with moist compressed substrate inside an incubator set in the high 80s, I may try a different approach though, we'll see when the time comes I suppose!
I have mine housed in a small container with a substrate that is mostly sand, with a tiny bit of coconut fiber mixed in, and some dead leaf litter on top. I will be keeping the substrate fairly moist, from what I've heard these larvae don't like it as dry as other Tenebs. In addition to the leaf litter, they will be fed chick feed. No pictures, sorry, the larvae are pretty small right now, will try to get some pics of them as they get larger!
Brandon also sent me two groups of over a dozen Eleodes larvae, one group comes from an enclosure that he kept Eleodes acuticaudus and Eleodes osculans in, the other group comes from an enclosure he kept E.acuticadus and E.grandicollis in. So I really don't know what they'll all end up growing into!
I am keeping the E.actuticaudus/osculans larvae in an enclosure with coconut fiber and dead leaves as the substrate, which I will be keeping moist on one side and dry on the other. The E.acuticaudus/grandicollis larvae are in an enclosure with a substrate of sand and coconut fiber, along with some dead leaf litter, I will also be keeping their enclosure dry on one side and moist on the other. Both groups will be fed chick feed.
I didn't bother taking pictures, because they look basically identical to other Eleodes larvae I've kept like E.hispilabris, so no need really. If, once they get bigger, they obtain features that are different or unique from other larvae I've seen, then I will snap some pictures of them for sure! 🙂
I am quite excited to see what they grow into! I'm personally really hoping to get at least a few E.osculans or E.grandicollis, but who knows, they may all end up being E.acuticaudus! 😄 Will be sure to update you all on their progress!
Well, that's going to do it for today's post, I hope everyone enjoyed, these will likely be the last new invertebrates I acquire for a while, as I will be in the process of moving very soon! Anyway, I will see you all next time! 😉
Nice new species/possible species man. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see that you've finally gotten ahold of the A.verrucosa especially, if there's another person who could establish effective husbandry on them, it has to be you!
Sounds like a really neat set of options you have there, any of those species would be great!
It's so peculiar that everyone's moving right now. lol Hopefully yours is a lot easier than mine was, but in any case, good luck! :D
Thanks! :D
DeleteI'm really happy to have Asbolus as well, really hoping I can get them to mature successfully! Apparently Eusattus muricatus are a bit similar to these when it comes to pupation, I can't get my remaining few larvae to mature for the life of me! I even tried putting them in my hot garage, that did nothing. I'm think a cool period will work, so come fall they are going back in the garage, planning on doing the same with the Asbolus once they are big enough!
Indeed, all three of those Eleodes are nice species, in particular, I'm really hoping some will be E.grandicollis larvae, that species is supposed to be huge! Any of the others would be very nice too! :)
Yeah, that's quite odd lol, it's like the great bug-keeper migration or something! XD
Also, my Zophobas adults never lost leg bits unless dehydrated or starved. Could tank furnishings or aggression have slowly injured your carabs?
ReplyDeleteThe pair could have bit each other, but I still think it's likely age related. I've had Tenebrionids lose tibia with age even when kept alone in good conditions.
DeleteHowever, my female looks great and is obviously still healthy enough to reproduce, and she isn't missing many tibia really, so they could have fought and she may have lost them that way. The male is really run down though, I'm pretty sure he's on his way out from old age.