E.hispilabris pupa

Well, nothing of real interest has happened these past few days, so I thought I'd just post a couple of pictures of this Eleodes hispilabris pupa that is close to enclosing. I haven't shared any pictures of the pupa of this species, nor have I ever seen pics of these pupa, so I thought perhaps its time someone put pics of these up on the web. Here they are.

These guys have a very high pupal survival rate, and are a great beginners species, in my opinion. Anyways, as always, I hope you guys enjoyed! Have a great day! :)

My Venus flytrap

In my first post, I mentioned that there would maybe be some plants on this blog. This is by far the most interesting plant I currently own, so I thought I would show it off. I got this flytrap last year at a nursery, and it has done wonderfully! I took it out of its diapause about two weeks ago, and there is already a ton of growth! Here is a picture.

  

I will show you guys some more pics once the traps start to form. Until then, I hope you guys enjoyed! :)

Coniontis darkening pt 2

Here are more pics of my Coniontis darkning, its almost fully black now, with a waxy bluish sheen.

As always, hope you guys enjoy! :)

Sad news...

Unfortunately, my last female Coelocnemis sp. has died, and it does not seem like any eggs were ever laid. :( I only have 7 males left. Hopefully later this year I will be able to find more females. Just thought I would share this with you guys. Have a nice day!

P.americana ootheca!

One of my females has produced an ootheca! I am very happy right now! Here is a picture.

I hope it hatches, and that I will be able to successfully rear the resulting nymphs! Hope you guys enjoyed! :)

Some pictures from 2014

Last year I spent most of my time camping, and as a result, I came across a LOT of insects! I have a bunch of pictures of different bugs stored on my computer from that trip, so I thought I'd share some with you guys! Here they are.

Buprestis aurulenta

Chalcophora angulicollis

Alaus melanops

Iphthiminus serratus

Polyphylla decemlineata

Prionus californicus

Stenomorpha sp.

Yep, last year sure was fun! I hope to go camping sometime again this year, and catch even more bugs and get photographs of them! That's it for today guys, hope you enjoyed! :)

Coniontis darkening up

My recently eclosed Coniontis sp is darkening up. Here are some pics!

I don't know why, but I really, really like this genus, I am eager to collect some other species, there is at least one more I've found here in Idaho. Can't wait till the weather warms up! As always, hope you guys enjoyed! :)

Ellychnia pupa!

One of my Ellychnia larva dug to the bottom of the container I was keeping it in, and pupated. I have separated it, and I am keeping it moist. Here are a couple of pictures.

I am going to try to pupate more of these, and maybe get a colony going! Any ideas of what I should feed the adults? I was thinking sugar water, and pieces of apple. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy! :)

Darkling beetles I have found in Idaho

This is a bit of a different post than usual, but its something that I've wanted to do for a while, so what the heck. This is a list of all the darkling beetles I've found in Idaho. Unfortunately I don't have pics of most of these, and some I haven't collected, so no pics for this list.

Here we go:
Araeoschizus sp
3 Different Blapstinus sp
Coelocnemis sp
2 Different Coniontis sp
Edrotes ventricosus
Eleodes armatus
Eleodes caudiferus
Eleodes cordatus
Eleodes hispilabris
Eleodes obscurus
Eleodes sp (subgenus blapyis)
Eusattus muricatus
Hymenorus sp
Lepidocnemeplatia sp
Pseudocistela sp
Stenomorpha sp
Trogloderus sp

I hope this is useful to anybody who wants to know some of Idaho's darkling beetle fauna. However, since I don't have pics of each species, I don't have any scientific proof, so you'll have to take my word for it. However, I have done a lot of research on darklings, and have spent many, MANY days looking through bugguide, so I consider myself well learned on identifying darklings. ;) Hope you guys enjoyed!

Coniontis update

My first Coniontis pupa has eclosed! There were no deformities, no problems, just one healthy captive bred Coniontis adult! Here are some pics! (Not the best quality pics, but I was excited and wanted to get this post out).

I have more larva in the pre-pupa stage, so more adults are on the way! I find these more interesting than Eleodes sp, even though these are much smaller. I hope to establish these in the hobby, once I have enough to part with. That's it for today guys, hope you enjoy! :)

Coelocnemis update

Hey guys, it's been a while. I've been a little busy, but I will try to get back to the usual blogging schedule. One of my females Coelocnemis sp died, so I only have one more female left. In a final effort to get some eggs, I have added some pine needles to the cage. These beetles are often found in areas with pine trees, and I found some of mine under pine bark. I am hoping the needles will stimulate egg laying, as I would really like to breed this species, the larva apparently have two large spines at the end of their terminal segment and grow quite large! Here is how the cage looks now.

I will keep you guys updated on how these do. That's it for today, I hope you guys enjoyed! :)

Coniontis pupa!

I have been trying to pupate some of my Coniontis sp larva, and I have had success! They seem to pupate readily in small containers filled with moist, not wet, compressed coconut fiber. They dig to the bottom, make a pupal cell, and pupate a few weeks later. The pupa are unusually quite hairy. Here are some pics!

Pre-pupa larva in its pupal cell

I removed this pupa from its cell to get good pictures of it, I have it on a thin layer of moist coconut fiber.

Dorsal view

Ventral view

I can't wait to see some adults! That's it for today guys, hope you enjoyed! :)

P.pruinosus enclosure change

I have been keeping these guys in a 24oz tupperware for about two years, and I have now moved them to a much larger container today. I have yet to add leaves, but don't worry, I will! Here is a pic.

Hopefully they like their new container, (I'm sure they do! ;)). Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed! :)

At last!!

At last, my Parcoblatta americana subadult male molted! I can now breed it with my female in my garage!! I am very happy right now! Here are some pics!

I will keep you guys posted on these. Hope you enjoy! :)

My C.simplex enclosure

Here is how I am keeping my Callisthenes simplex right now. The substrate is coconut fiber and sphagnum moss, and I have a layer of dead leaves and sphagnum moss on top of that. I am keeping them moist, and I may try and give them a dry half of the cage, seeing as they came from an arid region. They seem to like burrowing occasionally, but usually stay on the surface of the substrate. I added some isopods to the cage for a clean up crew, but also as a possible egg-laying stimulus. Anyway, here is a picture of the cage.

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for some eggs! That's it for today, hope you guys enjoyed! :)

My new ground beetles!!

I got 4 new Callisthenes simplex from DETHCHEEZ on the beetle forum. They arrived today and they are munching away on some Eleodes hispilabris larva. I think there is at least 1 female, and 2 males, but one of them I can't really tell what sex it is. I am keeping them in a smallish container for right now, I am gonna get them a bigger cage today. Anyway, here are some pictures!

I am gonna try really hard to breed these, they are pretty cool little beetles! I was handling one and it sprayed defensive fluid into my eye, which stung quite a bit. However there seems to be no lasting damage, and now I know not to handle them too close to the face, LOL! Anyway, that's it for today, I hope you guys enjoyed! :)