Breeding Chlaenius sp.

[GiantVinegaroon]

I have 5 Chlaenius sp.(those metallic green ground beetles) that I've been keeping for a few months. They sure are fun to keep, and I was wondering if it is possible to breed them in captivity. I've noticed matings and what appeared to be egg laying, but with no success. They are being kept on coco fiber with some rocks to hide under. Any advice is greatly appreciated on breeding.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Not sure how successful you'll be(but I hope you are). These are very nice beetles that I personally would like to try culturing as well. I've only found them by receding ponds, so I wonder if local water levels/temps. triggers mating. I couldn't seem to find much online about reproduction. Good luck & have any pix?

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

Not sure how successful you'll be(but I hope you are). These are very nice beetles that I personally would like to try culturing as well. I've only found them by receding ponds, so I wonder if local water levels/temps. triggers mating. I couldn't seem to find much online about reproduction. Good luck & have any pix?

No pics. Sorry. I've found mine simply flipping rocks and wood boards around barns.

I do keep it humid in there for them.

 

[Crysta]

did you try digging for the grub in the dirt of the enclosure? (i am assuming its quite small?)

 

[ZephAmp]

I bred these once accidentally!
I tried to start a wood lice colony (Armadillidium, Porcellio, etc mixed) and when I collected them I also collected several of these shiny beetles. I thought nothing of it.
A few months later, I noticed my wood lice weren't reproducing as I had been told they would. Eventually I scrapped the colony. When I dumped it out into my garden, I noticed all these little beetle larvae!
Apparently they're pretty voracious predators...
I kept things very moist for the wood lice and these guys did just as well under those conditions. I'd say keep a good supply of food (baby wood lice) in with them and they'll do very well.

 

[BiologicalJewels]

I have attempted this in the past, not with much success.
The specimens I collected where literally in a small peninsula that went into a river (does it count as a peninsula?).
They were brought in with the same sand (they lived right on sand) they were found in, and were in fact under a rather large rock that had to be moved to gain access to them.
As far as food, they didn't seem to be predacious, I tried feeding de-winged fruit flies and they would leave them alone, now, take the same fruit fly and disable it totally (err killed it) and they would devour it voraciously.
Different species have different requirements, my best suggestion would be to try to recreate the micro habitat where they were found.

No eggs laying was observed and the container was monitored close to 3 months after the adults passed.

Wish you the best luck, and please keep on posting (pics would be more than welcome ).

OR

 

[What]

As far as food, they didn't seem to be predacious, I tried feeding de-winged fruit flies and they would leave them alone, now, take the same fruit fly and disable it totally (err killed it) and they would devour it voraciously.

It may be that they are unfamiliar with that form of prey item and needed to sense the chemicals that begin to appear in dead invertebrates to know it was food... Perhaps try some isopods or other prey items you might have observed in the vicinity(grubs, worms, earwigs, etc...)

 

[zonbonzovi]

I saw lots of amphipods near to the colonies I found but didn't observe any of them being eaten by the beetles.

 

[BiologicalJewels]

It may be that they are unfamiliar with that form of prey item and needed to sense the chemicals that begin to appear in dead invertebrates to know it was food... Perhaps try some isopods or other prey items you might have observed in the vicinity(grubs, worms, earwigs, etc...)

Thanks man, gotta give it another try.

 

[GunOffSafety]

I have tried maintaining these beetles several times in the past but my beetles kept on dying after weeks to months in captivity. In nature they are almost exclusively associated with wetland areas. Perhaps their larvae are semi-aquatic?

 

[ZephAmp]

I have tried maintaining these beetles several times in the past but my beetles kept on dying after weeks to months in captivity. In nature they are almost exclusively associated with wetland areas. Perhaps their larvae are semi-aquatic?

When I kept them they were in isopod-breeding conditions. The larvae were squishy and resembled rove beetle larvae, so they might desiccate quickly.