My Thai Rainbows

[sdsnybny]

The 'egg' looks like a fertilizer pellet...

Those are nice Thai rainbows! However, I'm not so sure of the difference between Tonkinbolus dollfusi, T. adolphii, Apuethes sp., and Aulacobolus sp. They all look similar, except for dollfusi.

That's exactly what it is a slow release fertilizer pellet found in topsoil/compost bags. I've found it in my bags I use for T's.

 

[mickiem]

The 'egg' looks like a fertilizer pellet...

Those are nice Thai rainbows! However, I'm not so sure of the difference between Tonkinbolus dollfusi, T. adolphii, Apuethes sp., and Aulacobolus sp. They all look similar, except for dollfusi.

IKR! There's no way a fertilizer pellet could have found it's way into their enclosure. The AGB and Glossy Black Pinklegs produce naked eggs and they look identical; even the size. That's what is perplexing - the size of this thing is huge compared to the size of the Thai Rainbow. And apparently too large to be an Apeuthes egg.

 

[LawnShrimp]

IKR! There's no way a fertilizer pellet could have found it's way into their enclosure. The AGB and Glossy Black Pinklegs produce naked eggs and they look identical; even the size. That's what is perplexing - the size of this thing is huge compared to the size of the Thai Rainbow. And apparently too large to be an Apeuthes egg.

I know it seems hard to believe but those pellets get everywhere. I pick one of those out of my sifted, baked, and scrutinized substrate every few weeks.
Or, if it hatches, guess I'm wrong. :/

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

The 'egg' looks like a fertilizer pellet...

Those are nice Thai rainbows! However, I'm not so sure of the difference between Tonkinbolus dollfusi, T. adolphii, Apuethes sp., and Aulacobolus sp. They all look similar, except for dollfusi.

Specimens of that specific bloodline were shipped to the late Dr. Richard Hoffman, one of the most respected milliped taxonomists of all time, and he identified them as <i>Apeuthes</i>.

 

[mickiem]

I found another of these huge naked eggs in my enclosure. It measures 1.4 mm. I now have pedelings in that enclosure. I am going to keep an eye on the "egg" and see what happens. I don't buy potting soil with Osmocote or any other fertilizer pellet so it would be next to impossible for it to be a fertilizer pellet. Stay tuned!

 

[ErinM31]

I found another of these huge naked eggs in my enclosure. It measures 1.4 mm. I now have pedelings in that enclosure. I am going to keep an eye on the "egg" and see what happens. I don't buy potting soil with Osmocote or any other fertilizer pellet so it would be next to impossible for it to be a fertilizer pellet. Stay tuned!

Congrats on the pedelings!

If it were me, I would remove the mystery object to it's own container with a small amount of fresh moist substrate and see what happens. It seems much too large to be one of their eggs but then what could it be? Is it possible for the egg to be only temporarily larger by taking in fluid or even air after it was laid? I work with fruit files and it was surprising to see how much their abdomens expand in the hours after eclosing before shrinking back to a normal size (and I've even seen flies abdomens distended from an air bubble -- no idea how that happens! )

 

[miss moxie]

Stopped in to say the thread title sounds like a party drug ("You haven't lived until you've seen the rainbows in Thailand! Thirty bucks."), stuck around to compliment your pretty 'pedes! Congrats on your 'mystery maybe-egg.'

 

[mickiem]

Congrats on the pedelings!

If it were me, I would remove the mystery object to it's own container with a small amount of fresh moist substrate and see what happens. It seems much too large to be one of their eggs but then what could it be? Is it possible for the egg to be only temporarily larger by taking in fluid or even air after it was laid? I work with fruit files and it was surprising to see how much their abdomens expand in the hours after eclosing before shrinking back to a normal size (and I've even seen flies abdomens distended from an air bubble -- no idea how that happens! )

You're right. That's the only way to solve this mystery! I think Orin said their eggs are not much over a millimeter and I measured these at 1.4 mm. Besides that, they encase their eggs, so weird all the way around.

@ErinM31 When Butterflies eclose, their abdomen is filled with hemolymph. As they warm in the sun, they pump their wings to distribute the "blood" to the rest of their bodies. Then they are proportionate again! Is that what the fruit fly does? Air bubble? Sounds like some hanky panky going on! (PS - Happy Millipede Day to you!!)

 

[ErinM31]

You're right. That's the only way to solve this mystery! I think Orin said their eggs are not much over a millimeter and I measured these at 1.4 mm. Besides that, they encase their eggs, so weird all the way around.

@ErinM31 When Butterflies eclose, their abdomen is filled with hemolymph. As they warm in the sun, they pump their wings to distribute the "blood" to the rest of their bodies. Then they are proportionate again! Is that what the fruit fly does? Air bubble? Sounds like some hanky panky going on! (PS - Happy Millipede Day to you!!)

That is interesting about butterflies and does make me wonder just what processes the flies are going through! When the fruit flies first eclose, their abdomens are small and have a more pupal shape than adult and the wings are all folded up. Then over the next hours, their wings unfold and their abdomens expand greatly, sometimes even looking distended, before coming back to adult shape and size as their coloration comes in. The air bubbles I occasionally see are another thing entirely and perhaps nothing more than one of the inevitable oddities when looking at thousands of inbred mutant flies.

I was wondering whether the developing millipede might expand the egg by drawing in moisture but the fact that it is also exposed while these millipedes normally encase their eggs also suggest it must be something else — but what? :wideyed:

And thank you! So excited to see my new babies!

 

[mickiem]

I have had Thai Rainbow pedelings for about 2 months now. The adults have always been fossorial; i.e. I never see them! They stay under. But now with babies, my largest adults are always active. My AGBs did that, too, but I figured their "under" time was spent laying eggs. Now I think I am seeing a pattern....

Is there a reason adults would stay on the surface when pedelings are present?

 

[LawnShrimp]

Perhaps it is because the babies have eaten the tastiest substrate and the adults are trying to forage? Maybe it is just a seasonal thing, or they want to show off their kids.

 

[mickiem]

Perhaps it is because the babies have eaten the tastiest substrate and the adults are trying to forage? Maybe it is just a seasonal thing, or they want to show off their kids.

I find the babies more often on the surface, so I think the available food isn't the reason. I guess they are just trying to show off their babies.

 

[mickiem]

Thai Rainbow pedelings are fast growers! After their initial ‘no color’ stage, they started to turn brown and tan. I was concerned because this is the enclosure with the mystery naked egg. But now I see the coral bands and can tell they are indeed apeuthes. I am going to give the naked egg it’s own thread since I found a third one this morning and gave it its own “home”.

 

[mickiem]

Just a photo to show this brown stage. These are just shy of 3 months old

 

[mickiem]

One parent lots of babies and corn again They are growing into strong little pedes

 

[mickiem]

@Mpaul213 Thai babies! Look at the photos in the whole thread to see better colors.

 

[Mpaul213]

@Mpaul213 Thais babies@! Look at the photos in the whole thread to see better colors.

@mickiem They are beautiful!

 

[Siphodemos]

They are so good looking. I've never thought i'd find them so beautiful (i'm new to the myriapoda stuff, so i keep getting surprised every time i look pictures like that). It's fascinating!!