Anyone rearing Dynastes tityus?

[NathanJBoob]

Who is rearing Eastern Hercules beetles? I have two groups of larvae, from wild adults last year and from this year. Last year's are pupating now(two females have just hatched)and this year's are just hatching from eggs. Photos are of my two largest pupae so far and those next to a 55mm. wild collected male from this July.

 

[InvertsandOi]

I will have two larvae arrive next week from bugsincyberspace.com. I'm super excited about it! I've been wanting them for a while, but they either weren't available, or money was tight. I wish I lived in an area where I could catch and breed some wild specimens. If they're in Michigan, I've never seen one. Here's hoping it's a male and female pair that I can breed.

 

[NathanJBoob]

I will have two larvae arrive next week from bugsincyberspace.com. I'm super excited about it! I've been wanting them for a while, but they either weren't available, or money was tight. I wish I lived in an area where I could catch and breed some wild specimens. If they're in Michigan, I've never seen one. Here's hoping it's a male and female pair that I can breed.

 

[NathanJBoob]

They probably don't occur in Michigan. We don't have them here in Pennsylvania either. I collected some adults in southern Maryland. They are fairly easy to breed.

 

[billrogers]

I'm breeding them! I currently have 21 larvae and 1 hibernating adult female. Pupated and eclosed months before her siblings for some reason. I also have some D. grantii.

 

[billrogers]

Here is my D. tityus grub shelf males on top females underneath

Here is where I keep most of my D. grantii

My most impressive male D. grantii

 

[NathanJBoob]

Here is my D. tityus grub shelf males on top females underneath
View attachment 220785
Here is where I keep most of my D. grantii
View attachment 220786
My most impressive male D. grantii
View attachment 220788 View attachment 220789

I have a similar setup. I had 30 tityus larvae in the oldest group, most have pupated now. The first two females have enclosed and are in a cool basement. Are the sex ratios always skewed towards females? Most have been females.

 

[NathanJBoob]

I'm breeding them! I currently have 21 larvae and 1 hibernating adult female. Pupate and eclosed mother maths before her siblings for some reason. I also have some D. grantii.

Are your tityus close to pupating? Do you weigh the pupae?

 

[billrogers]

Are your tityus close to pupating? Do you weigh the pupae?

This is my second generation of captive bred. I didn't weigh any of my pupae last brood because I was under the impression they needed their pupal chambers to eclose correctly. If this is wrong I would be thrilled because I have wanted to check up on them while they are pupae. I think that none of them are pupae at the moment but I need to check on them all again because I haven't for awhile. They are all late L3 at least though.

 

[scorpanok]

This is my second generation of captive bred. I didn't weigh any of my pupae last brood because I was under the impression they needed their pupal chambers to eclose correctly. If this is wrong I would be thrilled because I have wanted to check up on them while they are pupae. I think that none of them are pupae at the moment but I need to check on them all again because I haven't for awhile. They are all late L3 at least though.

do you intend to sell some of them in the future

 

[Ratmosphere]

Nice size!

 

[NathanJBoob]

This is my second generation of captive bred. I didn't weigh any of my pupae last brood because I was under the impression they needed their pupal chambers to eclose correctly. If this is wrong I would be thrilled because I have wanted to check up on them while they are pupae. I think that none of them are pupae at the moment but I need to check on them all again because I haven't for awhile. They are all late L3 at least though.

I was very careful in excavating mine. I pretty much knew when each larvae had started building their cells and I waited about three weeks before digging them up. I disturbed some of them too soon and they exited them and built a far inferior one. I made them new ones after they settled down. I only chipped the top off and they have pupated and eclosed perfectly.

 

[NathanJBoob]

do you intend to sell some of them in the future

Do you mean sell adults or larvae?

 

[NathanJBoob]

Nice size!

Thanks!

 

[scorpanok]

Do you mean sell adults or larvae?

ether and if you do intend to sell I would be interested

 

[NathanJBoob]

ether and if you do intend to sell I would be interested

I might have some extra adults for sale after they eclose. If I end up with a bunch of eggs the next time I go through the breeding tank I might part with some L1 larvae as well.

 

[scorpanok]

that sounds

I might have some extra adults for sale after they eclose. If I end up with a bunch of eggs the next time I go through the breeding tank I might part with some L1 larvae as well.

that sounds great

 

[billrogers]

I was very careful in excavating mine. I pretty much knew when each larvae had started building their cells and I waited about three weeks before digging them up. I disturbed some of them too soon and they exited them and built a far inferior one. I made them new ones after they settled down. I only chipped the top off and they have pupated and eclosed perfectly.

How do you get the tops off so perfectly? When I open the cells to get the adults out dirt usually falls in.

 

[NathanJBoob]

How do you get the tops off so perfectly? When I open the cells to get the adults out dirt usually falls in.

I occasionally have small clumps fall into the cells too. I just carefully remove them with a pair of forceps. I keep the substrate pretty damp when I think they are close to building their cells and that seems to help hold everything together. I scrape most of the top half of the pupal cell very thin and then at the top most area start chipping back pieces until I have it opened up.

 

[InvertsandOi]

Here is my D. tityus grub shelf males on top females underneath
View attachment 220785
Here is where I keep most of my D. grantii
View attachment 220786
My most impressive male D. grantii
View attachment 220788 View attachment 220789

Is there really a way to tell the sex of the larvae?