# My dynastes tityus grubs



## joseofsa (Dec 30, 2010)

All I had was my cell phone on hand so next time I go through the tanks for inspections I will have my camera ready for better pics. 

Well the dynastes tityus trio I received in May of this year have turned into little cute larvae. I have about 50 spread out in 4 10 gallon aquariums filled with organic potting mix with some decayed oak wood and leaf litter added. Pretty excited some of them are so big already almost 3 inches and plump. 







Only a face a parent could love. Taking a bite out of my finger (sorry about the quality again)


















Group shot of them.

I asked the person who sold the parents to me about some concerns about the size of a few of them but maybe someone else could answer the question while I wait for his response. Basically I want to know why the great majority of these guys are 2+ inches but a very select few are runts. Its in less than a handful of them so I am not really worried that it is something wrong with the conditions I am keeping them in. But then again I AM worried about them well because they are my babies and I just would like to know why these few are so small! I want to know if they are possibly  overcrowded or if they are simply runts. I do not have any mite problems I checked them very thoroughly and did not notice any around their spiracles. 

Only 3-4 out of the 50ish are small so I am pretty sure it is just probably the beetles themselves rather than an environmental problem but like any dedicated pet owner I would like to know if I could do a better job of caring for them.

Anyway thanks for looking. Do we have any other tityus owners or any beetles really? I would be interested to see them and hear about them.
Thanks!
~joseofsa

---------- Post added at 10:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 PM ----------

Oh yeah here are some pics of the parents. I will get some more up to date pics of them when post better pics of the larvae.






papa





momma 1





momma 2


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## Palawanbeetle (Dec 31, 2010)

Are you selling any?


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Dec 31, 2010)

These are very popular, so I'm sure you'll get a few more responses on this. It is normal variation to see larvae of different sizes in a sample that large (well done, by the way!), but keep in mind the controls (or lack of) on other variables. Not all containers of substrate are exactly the same in terms of quality.

I highly recommend Elytra and Antenna's book "The Complete Guide to Rearing the Eastern Hercules Beetle" by Orin McMonigle. He's raised successive generations of these natives for ~15 years. That's about, well, 15 years longer than most hobbyists stick around 

Looks like you're going to be around for awhile and again, great work!


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## joseofsa (Dec 31, 2010)

Palawanbeetle said:


> Are you selling any?


Once I get the book by Orin McMonigle if my concerns are satiated I may reconsider my current stance. I just would not feel very honest if I sold some larvae and they did not survive or were undersized due to not being fed properly.  



Bugs In Cyberspace said:


> These are very popular, so I'm sure you'll get a few more responses on this. It is normal variation to see larvae of different sizes in a sample that large (well done, by the way!), but keep in mind the controls (or lack of) on other variables. Not all containers of substrate are exactly the same in terms of quality.
> 
> I highly recommend Elytra and Antenna's book "The Complete Guide to Rearing the Eastern Hercules Beetle" by Orin McMonigle. He's raised successive generations of these natives for ~15 years. That's about, well, 15 years longer than most hobbyists stick around
> 
> Looks like you're going to be around for awhile and again, great work!


Thank you! Yeah I have been meaning to pick the book up since May of this year when I picked these guys up but I was so swamped with classes I just didn't have the time or money to pick it up. Yes I definitely plan to.


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## bluefrogtat2 (Dec 31, 2010)

congrats big time.
i recently got my first pair of tityus as well.i am hoping for similiar success.
i also highly recommend orins book.i have read it over at least 5 times since getting the pair.and the info contained is priceless.
looks like your doing great so far.
andy


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## Matt K (Jan 1, 2011)

Remember not all eggs hatch at the same time, so not all will develop at the same time nor grow at the same rate.  This happens with most invertebrates I have worked with.


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## loxoscelesfear (Jan 3, 2011)

took 2 years for my grubs to turn into beetles.  sell the adults, they don't live very long.  when they die they make great displays subjects for bug cases.  cool beetles all around.


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## zonbonzovi (Jan 3, 2011)

I know I've asked this before somewhere:

is an overwintering stage absolutely necessary to initiate pupation?  If so, how long, roughly?


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jan 3, 2011)

loxoscelesfear said:


> took 2 years for my grubs to turn into beetles.  sell the adults, they don't live very long.


 I'm thinking you did not raise Dynastes tityus. Dynastes granti is a popular wild caught species that lives only about 2-3 months. D.tityus live up to a year as a beetle and can be safely kept cool for 18 months.


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## Matt K (Jan 3, 2011)

'Elytra and Antenna' would know, he has been rearing both for years and probably has more experience than most anyone in the U.S.


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## loxoscelesfear (Jan 4, 2011)

I raised these w/ very little effort other than providing the right soil types and treated wood.  WC southern Ind.  Mine die quicker because I don't cool them down.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jan 4, 2011)

How fast did they die? No eggs?


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## loxoscelesfear (Jan 4, 2011)

Elytra and Antenna said:


> How fast did they die? No eggs?


pic of grub taken late 2007. it is one of thirteen that i raised from eggs. The eggs were laid by a WC female fall of 2006.   Most of the grubs made it to adulthood, the majority were females.   However, I did get a couple of gorgeous males.  adults  lasted about 4 -6months.  I never cooled them down or got too technical.


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Jan 4, 2011)

Did you ever measure that nice male? He looks big!


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jan 4, 2011)

loxoscelesfear said:


> adults  lasted about 4 -6months.


That is short but you'd think they lasted forever had you kept D. granti first. Why didn't you get a second generation?


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## loxoscelesfear (Jan 4, 2011)

Elytra and Antenna said:


> That is short but you'd think they lasted forever had you kept D. granti first. Why didn't you get a second generation?


I never bred the second generation. I am lazy.   granti are cool, I need one for my bug case.  Only other beetle larva experience I have had is with Strategus.  larva I have collected in Florida ; managed to raise a couple specimens to beetle stage. My tityus were spoiled:deep substrate for burrowing  and an entree of apple slices doused in diluted maple syrup.  yum yum!  I really want to try to raise up some Lucanus elaphus (thread hijack , sorry )  I know where to find them but distinguishing between female elaphus and capreolus is no easy task for me at least.  And I believe their requirements for rearing are tougher than Dynastes.


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