# June Bugs



## Stylopidae (Jul 7, 2005)

I'm thinking of raising june bugs as feeder insects (I want a tarantula and my landlords forbid crickets and mealworms) Are these any good?

Can they be raised similar to mealworms?


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## JustBugs (Jul 7, 2005)

We had an abundance of June bugs gravitate to our outside lights one year. Not even thinking about it we fed a qty to one of our chameleons who just loved the things. Well the next days his eye were sunk and went downhill and died so quick we couldn't even get him to a vet in time for any tests. This was one of our prized pardalis, who was the epitome of good health.
It appears that the June bugs were coming to our house to avoid the insecticides that were being applied to fields adjoining our property.

Just be careful with any wild caught insects and ensure that they are coming from insecticide free enviornments.

Kenn Mease
www.justbugs.com


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## hermitman64 (Jul 7, 2005)

I had an experience similar to Kenn's. I also had many June Bugs under my porch light. I figured they would be fine for a couple of my Cane's. Unfortunately, the toads didn't last long after I fed them. Just be careful, or look for another alternative.

Gary


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## mebebraz (Jul 7, 2005)

no crickets or mealworms, guess that leaves roaches......


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## Dark Raptor (Jul 8, 2005)

Ehh... I can't be sure what we are talking about without latin names  :?   but I supose that you want to breed some _Melolonthidae_ beetles. I would say... they are much more difficult to keep than _Cetonidae_ species:
- they live very short (sometimes few weeks)
- they always need fresh food (only leafs of their host plant), without it they quickly die
- larvae develope very long (generally one year, some species 5 years)
- you need fresh roots in substrate for larvae

So... it is much easier and to breed roaches, crickets and mealworms (or superworms) as feeders. Beetles captured outside can be only addition.



			
				JustBugs said:
			
		

> Just be careful with any wild caught insects and ensure that they are coming from insecticide free enviornments.


Yes... always remember about that.


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## Wade (Jul 8, 2005)

The common name "june bug" is applied inconsistantly all over the US to different types of scarabs, but as far as I know, none would make good feeders. As Dark Raptor says they don't reproduce in the kind of numbers you'd need. Culture is more complex, and they CANNOT be raised the same as mealworms.

You could try offering dead prey, tarantulas have no problem with pre-killed insects. See if your landlord would mind if you bought crickets and then froze them. I know of keepers who do this.

Wade


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## Stylopidae (Jul 8, 2005)

Thanks guys


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