Zophobas morio - protecting eggs

[Tarzanus]

I am quite new to the zophobas breeding and I finally got my first adult darkling beetles, who started laying eggs. I tried giving them some dry japanese knotweed culms and they started placing eggs into the tiny holes and spaces between them. They did not last long, because other beetles came and started eating the eggs. The eggs in small cracks in woody stem of japanese knotweed remained intact, but I don't think it's a good hideout. Not nearly enough space to lay eggs.

Then I tried giving them empty dry corn cob. I've seen them laying eggs and after close inspection (while a female beetle was laying eggs) I saw they can get between extremely small openings into hundreds of tiny compartments and lay their eggs inside. I could not see the eggs, but I could see the female laying eggs that disappeared somewhere in the woody cob. I have a feeling it's a perfect hideout because I rarely see any darkling beetles walking around the cobs, they are too dry and too woody for their taste. They have many better options inside.

I have been thinking - what's the best egg hideout I can use to transfer eggs into separate container. I don't know how many of the eggs survive if I place the beetles into a bran filled container alone. I saw them digging through bran and possibly searching for eggs. Or perhaps trying to hide them deeper, I would guess the first option is more realistic option.

What do you use to transfer beetles? Do you just use oats or bran and then move the beetles every couple of weeks, or do you use vegetables and stuff as a hideout for the females to lay eggs?

 

[coniontises]

I used to keep Zophobas as pets. Two or three females produce loads of offspring!

How are you keeping adults?

 

[Tarzanus]

They are kept in a relatively small container filled with a few inches of wheat bran. I give them oranges, lettuce and carrots as a source of water and dry bread to nibble on. I gave them an egg carton cover to offer them hideout and like I mentioned, hollow japanese knotweed sticks and lately dry corn cobs for them to use as an egg hiding place.

They love japanese knotweed, they bunch up in the tight hollow interior and they eat it from inside out. Same goes for the cobs, if they are halved before I place them inside, they will start eating through the woody cob core. They nibble on it slowly, but when I check it in a few days, it's filled with particles, possibly frass and the stuff they don't consume.

It looks like they like to chew on cellulose.

 

[coniontises]

How often are the fruits and veg offered?

And yes, they evidently like woody material a lot. When my adults were still alive, I would slip them little bits of soft, wet forest wood as snacks.

=)

 

[Tarzanus]

How often are the fruits and veg offered?

And yes, they evidently like woody material a lot. When my adults were still alive, I would slip them little bits of soft, wet forest wood as snacks.

=)

A couple of days. If it stays wet (orange for example) longer, I leave it there longer. If I suspect it could start molding or anything, I replace it. I usually leave carrots inside even after they turn dry and hard. If not the beetles, larvae might eat them later on. I just toss them into my other bin where I want to keep the young superworms.
I have a half rotten pear tree here, and I give it's soft wet rotten wood to my dubias. They just love it!

 

[coniontises]

Well, I’m not exactly sure what “couple of days” means, but I suspect the egg cannibalism may be from insufficient water. Are “fresh” (water-containing) fruitgetables available 24/7?

In my own experience, morio adults almost never eat eggs, and will oviposit anywhere, including inside tissue paper. I imagine that egg cannibalism will have almost no effect on the size of a healthy beetle colony, because they produce ridiculous numbers of eggs.

 

[Tarzanus]

Well, I’m not exactly sure what “couple of days” means, but I suspect the egg cannibalism may be from insufficient water. Are “fresh” (water-containing) fruitgetables available 24/7?

In my own experience, morio adults almost never eat eggs, and will oviposit anywhere, including inside tissue paper. I imagine that egg cannibalism will have almost no effect on the size of a healthy beetle colony, because they produce ridiculous numbers of eggs.

Well, I've read about egg cannibalism and did not see it myself. They may have enough water and they don't eat the eggs, I just read they like to do so. I feel much better now regarding the topic!
The thing is, they hardly touch the fruit/vegetables when I place them inside, so I guess they are not really water-starved.

Thank you!

 

[Tarzanus]

Just to let you know, I have found first tiny worms today. I've seen them in substrate of my breeding adults container and in the second container in which I have placed the corn cobs and dried out stuff from the breeding container. I gave both some carrots so they can hydrate.

Thanks for helping a newb

 

[coniontises]

Glad to be of service.