Anyone Keep Apiomerus sp?

[Inverts4life1]

Wondering if anyone has any experience in keeping Apiomerus sp. I found quite a few A. montanus last summer and I'm planning on grabbing a few next season to see how they do in captivity. The best part about it that I find the typical specimens with the red on the wing but I also occasionally find "dark" Apiomerus montanus specimens as well (consensus from discussing with a few people and we determined that's probably what this specimen is) .....are these breedable traits??.....I'm kinda wanting to find out.

I find this genus to be quite impressive with their coloring and decently large size, granted not as big as Arilus cristatus but still impressive, I'm just hoping to get a sustainable captive bred colony going.

 

[chanda]

I've kept Apiomerus californicus briefly a few times. When I'm teaching my summer classes, I'll go out and grab a few and keep them for a few weeks. They do fine short-term, but I've had trouble keeping them alive long-term. I think it's because of their dietary preferences. While I have been able to get some of them to eat crickets, they have a definite preference for bees - which are a bit harder to come up with on a regular basis. I've had a few live for a couple of months in captivity, but the last few years, I've just released them after my classes were done.

 

[Inverts4life1]

Thanks for the chime in. Their preference for bees is what worried me the most, I was unsure how well they would do to adapting to a primarily cricket or roach diet. I will probably have to take the approach you did and release them back after a couple weeks, though I am going to keep 1 or 2 and do a little experimenting on trying to switch their diet.......cause you never know, I might get one that doesn't really care what it eats.

 

[pannaking22]

@Lucanus95 might have had success with this genus before

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

they might be easier if you happen to be a beekeeper... wouldn't have to spare too many bees.