Grape Vine Beetles?

[sarah1031]

Does anyone here have any experiance with grape vine beetles? (Pelidnota punctata) I have always had a strange attraction to these beetle more then anyother species but I have never seen anyone keep them.

 

[CustomNature]

Hi Sarah. I have kept them with great success in breeding and rearing. Last summer I caught one outside my house at night time. They (along with many other insects) were being attracted to my dusk-to-dawn light above my drive way. Anyway, I never saw one before then so I was very excited when I spotted it. The next night, I ended up finding 3 more in the same spot, followed by one more the next night. I had a colony of 5 at that point so I figured I'd give it a whirl with breeding (not expecting much) and sure enough in about 2 weeks, I spotted about 30 or more eggs in the substrate.
About keeping them, you need to get some rotted wood and leaf litter substrate common to almost all beetles, and I found that putting a piece of bark on top helps along with some dead leaves. Most of the eggs I found were near the surface under the bark, which is strange because almost all other beetles I've kept lay eggs on the bottom of the tank. Anyway, the adults eat (alot) grape vine leaves. They are easy to care for, are attractive scarabs, and are great for beginners. :clap:

 

[sarah1031]

How long do they live as larve and as beetles?... and do you know anything else that they eat cause I have no idea how I would get grape vine leaves

 

[CustomNature]

How long do they live as larve and as beetles?... and do you know anything else that they eat cause I have no idea how I would get grape vine leaves

Here is a good website to help you out with the grapevine beetles. There's not ALOT of information on them, but what is there is pretty much all you need to know about rearing/breeding them. Hope it helps!

http://www.beetle-experience.com/care-punl.htm

 

[fantasticp]

I have no idea how I would get grape vine leaves

Grape leaves are sometimes ingredients in Greek cooking. At least I have seen them in stores near other ingredients for Greek cooking. Try some artsy grocery stores.

 

[sarah1031]

Thank you!

 

[Thoth]

Grape leaves are sometimes ingredients in Greek cooking. At least I have seen them in stores near other ingredients for Greek cooking. Try some artsy grocery stores.

The problem with those leaves is they are pickled in a brine so probably inedible for the beetle but good eats for you. Depending on where you live the maybe wild grapes growing and you can collect those leaves. Or if there is an old Italian family in your neighborhood (or try south philly), chances are high they are growing their own grapes.

 

[OldHag]

I wonder if they would eat dry leaves... How would you feed them during the winter??

 

[Thoth]

Maybe frozen leaves?

 

[fantasticp]

The problem with those leaves is they are pickled in a brine so probably inedible for the beetle but good eats for you. Depending on where you live the maybe wild grapes growing and you can collect those leaves. Or if there is an old Italian family in your neighborhood (or try south philly), chances are high they are growing their own grapes.

Well I guess living in Southern California grape leaves would be a bit more abundant, but I know I've seen vacuum sealed bags of them as well as the pickled, jarred ones for sale.

 

[BeetleExperienc]

Bananas..

Just use banana slices (slightly older ones work best). These are one of the easiest species to breed and rear.

Steven