My new pics

[Damiano]

Hi all

Smaragdesthe africana oertzeni

 

[Dark Raptor]

Nice beetles but I've heard that this specie isn't too easy to breed. I'm going to buy them next year and check if it is true.

 

[Mat]

Nice beetles but I've heard that this specie isn't too easy to breed. I'm going to buy them next year and check if it is true.

I have found this species very easy to breed, I currently have the purple form (S.a.oertzeni) and one of the green subspecies (S.a.smaragdina), I have been running colonies of both subspecies for the last 3 years or so without any problems and now they are essentially 'continuously brooded'. It is unusual if I do not have any adult beetles in the tanks.

The adults are kept in a tank on a sunny windowsill in my office/insect room, in winter I encourage them to breed by giving extra light with a spotlight over the tank. Adults get banana & sometimes diluted maple syrup

I have read somtimes that this species can be cannibalistic in the larval stage but I have noticed any problems like this. Because they are a small species it is very hard to see eggs or L1 larvae, if they are laying well you look in the tanks and 'suddenly' you find a lot of L3 larvae which are a bit crowded. With this species, I normally reset the adults 'laying tank' every 4-6 weeks, tipping the substrate containing eggs and small larvae into a rearing box and giving the adults fresh substrate. Finely chopped substrate works best for this species.

 

[Dark Raptor]

Thanks for the info Mark.
My friends lost their beetles mostly during pupation, so I expect that they've made some mistakes.

 

[P. Novak]

wow those are very nice! where do you get them?

 

[Mat]

wow those are very nice! where do you get them?

I got these particular beetles at an Entomological fair, the rest of my stuff is a mix of bought or exchanged species. A good beetle 'for sale' board can be found at http://www.terraristik.com/sticklist/index.php, but most of the livestock comes from European breeders. I'm not sure if you can import these into the US, I think you have a lot more restrictions on things like this where you are.

Heres another one of my favourite - Chellorhina polyphemus, a much bigger species.

 

[Damiano]

yes, the Smaragdesthes breeding is very easy!

 

[Damiano]

bye

 

[P. Novak]

awww dang! still very awesome! more more more

 

[Dark Raptor]

Ok. So I'll show you this beetle

Stephanorrhina princeps bamptoni

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

 

[Damiano]

oh yehhhhh d. raptor!!!
very very very nice!!!


ps: this morning is been born a pachnoda sinuata!

 

[Damiano]

pics of new born!!

 

[Hedorah99]

Nice! :clap: I shouldn't look at these pictures too much. If I start culturing beetles as well I will have no money left.

 

[P. Novak]

Ok. So I'll show you this beetle

Stephanorrhina princeps bamptoni

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

oh my how beautiful!! id really love to own some of these colorful beetles!!! ahhh :drool:

 

[P. Novak]

I got these particular beetles at an Entomological fair, the rest of my stuff is a mix of bought or exchanged species. A good beetle 'for sale' board can be found at http://www.terraristik.com/sticklist/index.php, but most of the livestock comes from European breeders. I'm not sure if you can import these into the US, I think you have a lot more restrictions on things like this where you are.

Heres another one of my favourite - Chellorhina polyphemus, a much bigger species.

woah!!! do you have anything to show size comparison with?

 

[Dark Raptor]

woah!!! do you have anything to show size comparison with?

The largest specimens I saw had almost 7 cm. They are beautifull :clap: