Stag beetle update

[Defalt]

well, this is depressing. So a couple months ago my stag beetles had produced some eggs. After a few weeks those eggs dissappeared and I saw some larvae, or so I thought. After checking the tank only to find that there were more of these larvae than before, even after I had removed the female, I did some research and discovered that the larvae I had been so excited about were actually the larvae of fungus gnats. I will leave the set up as is as I still don't know what happened to the eggs. But I want to know, what could have happened to them ? and If I try this again in the future (which I most likely will) what precautions should I take to avoid the gnats?

 

[Ratmosphere]

How was the soil kept? Soaking wet? When I first started in the beetle hobby a mistake I had was keeping substrate too wet which caused my eggs turn yellow and die.

 

[Defalt]

it isn't exactly soaking, but water does drip from the top of the container every time I open it

 

[Ratmosphere]

That's way too moist for my liking. What kind of substrate are you using?

 

[Defalt]

I believe it's wood mulch

 

[Ratmosphere]

It needs to be decayed wood.