new to keeping predatory beetles - what to feed Calosoma scrutator

[ErinM31]

Nice, sounds like a great substrate mix, hopefully you got a pair there! Let us know how they do!

Thank you and will do!

If you're only keeping them temporarily, then when you want to get rid of them you should sell them. They are in high demand, heck I would buy them from you if I weren't saving up my money for roaches!

Yep, I'm collecting them for Peter of BugsInCyberspace so I'm trying to find the right balance to keep the beetles happy and healthy until I have enough to ship but not have beetle enclosures take over my whole apartment!

There are a lot of Pasimachus beetles around here -- maybe I could trade you a few for some local millipedes?

 

[Hisserdude]

There are a lot of Pasimachus beetles around here -- maybe I could trade you a few for some local millipedes?

I'm afraid you'd be very disappointed, the only millipedes I've seen here are the invasive Polydesmus and tiny Julida sp, as well as the occasional Polyxenus sp. Most of the habitat here is dry scrub, but the few forests I've been to have only had tiny Julida species.

 

[ErinM31]

I'm afraid you'd be very disappointed, the only millipedes I've seen here are the invasive Polydesmus and tiny Julida sp, as well as the occasional Polyxenus sp. Most of the habitat here is dry scrub, but the few forests I've been to have only had tiny Julida species.

I was not aware that we had invasive Polydesmids too. Out of curiosity, do you know what the species is/are?

Who do you buy your roaches from?

 

[Hisserdude]

I was not aware that we had invasive Polydesmids too. Out of curiosity, do you know what the species is/are?

Who do you buy your roaches from?

Yeah, the invasive European Polydesmus is common in backyards across America, it has yet to be identified down to species though. There are a few invasive Julids too, Blaniulus guttulatus and a Brachyiulus species for example.

I get my roaches from a lot of different places, Roach crossing.com, Bugsincyberspace, I have bought and traded with several people on the Allpet roaches forum.

 

[ErinM31]

Yeah, the invasive European Polydesmus is common in backyards across America, it has yet to be identified down to species though. There are a few invasive Julids too, Blaniulus guttulatus and a Brachyiulus species for example.

May I see a picture then? Come to think of it, if I'm putting something together on identifying millipedes in North America, I should include invasive species too, even if the focus is on the natives.

I get my roaches from a lot of different places, Roach crossing.com, Bugsincyberspace, I have bought and traded with several people on the Allpet roaches forum.

Since you've always been so helpful, I was thinking of offering to send you some at shipping cost, but that itself may be expensive, especially depending on weather. So I was thinking, if you buy from BugsInCyberspace, I might include a few extra Pasimachus once I find enough to ship with the request that he include a few with your roach purchase. Maybe I am thinking too far ahead with too many variables... that is me! Lol. First things first, I need to find more of them...

 

[Hisserdude]

May I see a picture then? Come to think of it, if I'm putting something together on identifying millipedes in North America, I should include invasive species too, even if the focus is on the natives.

Since you've always been so helpful, I was thinking of offering to send you some at shipping cost, but that itself may be expensive, especially depending on weather. So I was thinking, if you buy from BugsInCyberspace, I might include a few extra Pasimachus once I find enough to ship with the request that he include a few with your roach purchase. Maybe I am thinking too far ahead with too many variables... that is me! Lol. First things first, I need to find more of them...

Sure, I got pics of the Polydesmus, but I haven't got any pics of the Juids, mainly because they are so tiny.

I can try to get some pictures of the Julids, if I can find any...

That's really nice of you, I would be more than willing to pay for the shipping if you can find some extra beetles, it should only be around $7-8 dollars if you are using USPS 2 day Priority, which would be fine for these guys. Any pics of the Pasimachus?

 

[ErinM31]

Sure, I got pics of the Polydesmus, but I haven't got any pics of the Juids, mainly because they are so tiny.

I can try to get some pictures of the Julids, if I can find any...

That's really nice of you, I would be more than willing to pay for the shipping if you can find some extra beetles, it should only be around $7-8 dollars if you are using USPS 2 day Priority, which would be fine for these guys. Any pics of the Pasimachus?

Oh, that's fine; I was mostly curious what the invasive Polydesmids looked like. Even if the species is not known, someone must have recognized them as endogenous to somewhere else. They must have some name, even if science hasn't decided how to classify them yet. Do you know where they come from? I am just curious and some of this info I would like to include in my project. I do not want any as I am focusing on the natives, which are prettier anyway, plus it would probably be frowned upon, if not illegal, to spread an invasive species. Thank you for the pics and info would be great too, if you know any of it. BugGuide has become my go-to source but they focus on species native to the Americas as well.

I'll try to take some pics of the Pasimachus beetles when I get home tonight -- not easy since they're liable to race about if I get one out of hiding. Maybe I can be sneaky... or fortunate... hehe. Okay, I wasn't sure what kind of shipping they would require and what the temperatures will be here and there. I have never shipped any creature before, nor have I bought any beetles. The most common way that I have received tarantulas, millipedes, and isopods is in an aerated deli cup of the appropriate size with damp cloth or paper towel. The E. murinus slings I bought from @JohnDapiaoen were each carefully wrapped in it's own vial so there was no chance of justling about and getting injured (plus I imagine they felt snug inside a burrow for their journey) but HOW he managed to get these slings, which have the ability to teleport to be still for such a process is a mystery to me. Do you know what the best way (or what good ways there are) to package these beetles for shipping?

 

[Hisserdude]

Oh, that's fine; I was mostly curious what the invasive Polydesmids looked like. Even if the species is not known, someone must have recognized them as endogenous to somewhere else. They must have some name, even if science hasn't decided how to classify them yet. Do you know where they come from? I am just curious and some of this info I would like to include in my project. I do not want any as I am focusing on the natives, which are prettier anyway, plus it would probably be frowned upon, if not illegal, to spread an invasive species. Thank you for the pics and info would be great too, if you know any of it. BugGuide has become my go-to source but they focus on species native to the Americas as well.

I'll try to take some pics of the Pasimachus beetles when I get home tonight -- not easy since they're liable to race about if I get one out of hiding. Maybe I can be sneaky... or fortunate... hehe. Okay, I wasn't sure what kind of shipping they would require and what the temperatures will be here and there. I have never shipped any creature before, nor have I bought any beetles. The most common way that I have received tarantulas, millipedes, and isopods is in an aerated deli cup of the appropriate size with damp cloth or paper towel. The E. murinus slings I bought from @JohnDapiaoen were each carefully wrapped in it's own vial so there was no chance of justling about and getting injured (plus I imagine they felt snug inside a burrow for their journey) but HOW he managed to get these slings, which have the ability to teleport to be still for such a process is a mystery to me. Do you know what the best way (or what good ways there are) to package these beetles for shipping?

They are from Europe, just like most of the isopods in people's backyards. Those are legal to ship around, so I doubt there are regulations on these millipedes. Many common backyard inverts are from Europe, these millipedes, the common stone centipedes, isopods, a few rove beetle species, and some others that I can't think of right now. Here is the link to the Polydesmus page on bugguide: http://bugguide.net/node/view/97396 Bugguide will focus on any bug in NA, native or invasive, after all someone has to keep track of what new species are being introduced here.

Cool, you can try putting them in the fridge for a few minutes to slow them down, they hibernate in nature anyway, so it shouldn't harm them. Yes, a deli cup with moist paper towel in it is what I would ship them in, it's what I ship everything in. I imagine they would be easier to get in the cup than a teleporting sling, lol!

 

[ErinM31]

They are from Europe, just like most of the isopods in people's backyards. Those are legal to ship around, so I doubt there are regulations on these millipedes. Many common backyard inverts are from Europe, these millipedes, the common stone centipedes, isopods, a few rove beetle species, and some others that I can't think of right now.

Oh that's true and I imagine they're probably as harmless as most of those... At least I like our imported isopods, hehe. I remember some years ago there were some other beetles -- from Asia I think -- that were highly damaging to trees here and they were trying to stop the spread and then there are regulations concerning bean beetles which are crop pests. But that's a different sort of thing entirely. As you said, isopods are commonly shipped (and already everywhere they can survive) and so are the non-native bumblebee and scarlet millipedes that weren't native but can now be found in the wild (I think).

Well, I shall still let you keep them, thank you.

Here is the link to the Polydesmus page on bugguide: http://bugguide.net/node/view/97396 Bugguide will focus on any bug in NA, native or invasive, after all someone has to keep track of what new species are being introduced here.

Oh, I did not know that! When browsing BugGuide earlier, it looked to me like families/genera/whatever were left out if they weren't native, but maybe it's only if they aren't found here or the groups were missing for some other reason. But you're absolutely right and it makes sense for them to be included -- thank you for the link!

Cool, you can try putting them in the fridge for a few minutes to slow them down, they hibernate in nature anyway, so it shouldn't harm them. Yes, a deli cup with moist paper towel in it is what I would ship them in, it's what I ship everything in. I imagine they would be easier to get in the cup than a teleporting sling, lol!

Okay, sounds good. I thought cold might be the trick. It takes a while for a container of bean beetles to get slowed down whereas the black Calosoma was out so fast and on it's back, I feared I'd killed it! It took a while to slowly come to but hopefully suffered no ill effects. I shall be careful with the Pasimachus.

 

[Hisserdude]

Oh that's true and I imagine they're probably as harmless as most of those... At least I like our imported isopods, hehe. I remember some years ago there were some other beetles -- from Asia I think -- that were highly damaging to trees here and they were trying to stop the spread and then there are regulations concerning bean beetles which are crop pests. But that's a different sort of thing entirely. As you said, isopods are commonly shipped (and already everywhere they can survive) and so are the non-native bumblebee and scarlet millipedes that weren't native but can now be found in the wild (I think).

Well, I shall still let you keep them, thank you.



Oh, I did not know that! When browsing BugGuide earlier, it looked to me like families/genera/whatever were left out if they weren't native, but maybe it's only if they aren't found here or the groups were missing for some other reason. But you're absolutely right and it makes sense for them to be included -- thank you for the link!



Okay, sounds good. I thought cold might be the trick. It takes a while for a container of bean beetles to get slowed down whereas the black Calosoma was out so fast and on it's back, I feared I'd killed it! It took a while to slowly come to but hopefully suffered no ill effects. I shall be careful with the Pasimachus.

They probably make just as much of an impact in the wild as isopods do, which is not much. And they have already become naturalized across NA, so shipping them around probably wouldn't make any impact to their population.

Yeah they are pretty dull for a millipede, and they are small. I'll probably try to breed them anyway, seeing as I don't have many other millipedes to choose from here, lol!

Yeah Bugguide has everything, it is a truly amazing website!

Cool, hope you can get some good pics! Be careful and just make sure you don't leave it in too long, or else you'll end up with a beetlecicle, lol!

 

[ErinM31]

Wow, I thought "His Majesty" was happy but no, NO, not at all! He wants to go hunting or mating or something. Anyway, he's pacing about his enclosure then will stop and make a sound like a buzzsaw and then try to take off -- I had no idea these beetles could fly! This beetle will definitely require a larger enclosure than the small critter keeper I had available. I don't know what size would be enough and if I have room for that what with amphibians and tarantulas and millipedes... It's a really beautiful beetle but perhaps needs more than I can provide.

 

[Hisserdude]

Eh, many inverts will try to fly every now and then, he should be fine in a shoe box or something similar. You shouldn't need a tank or anything like that. How many inches of substrate does it have?

 

[ErinM31]

They probably make just as much of an impact in the wild as isopods do, which is not much. And they have already become naturalized across NA, so shipping them around probably wouldn't make any impact to their population.

Yeah they are pretty dull for a millipede, and they are small. I'll probably try to breed them anyway, seeing as I don't have many other millipedes to choose from here, lol!

Lol, maybe they'll have some interesting behaviors and I'd imagine they'd be easy to keep and breed, seeing as how they've spread. And maybe they fluoresce under blacklight like other Polydesmids which looks really cool.

Yeah Bugguide has everything, it is a truly amazing website!

Agreed!

Cool, hope you can get some good pics! Be careful and just make sure you don't leave it in too long, or else you'll end up with a beetlecicle, lol!

I took some photos of the feistier one. My iPhone has issues with reflectivity and was always focusing on the substrate, grrr. The white rocks are just something I had in a box and thought the beetle would look well against.

 

[BobBarley]

Lol, maybe they'll have some interesting behaviors and I'd imagine they'd be easy to keep and breed, seeing as how they've spread. And maybe they fluoresce under blacklight like other Polydesmids which looks really cool.



Agreed!



I took some photos of the feistier one. My iPhone has issues with reflectivity and was always focusing on the substrate, grrr. The white rocks are just something I had in a box and thought the beetle would look well against.

View attachment 208928 View attachment 208929

Interesting ridges on the elytra. Do all the specimens have those ridges?

 

[Hisserdude]

Lol, maybe they'll have some interesting behaviors and I'd imagine they'd be easy to keep and breed, seeing as how they've spread. And maybe they fluoresce under blacklight like other Polydesmids which looks really cool.



Agreed!



I took some photos of the feistier one. My iPhone has issues with reflectivity and was always focusing on the substrate, grrr. The white rocks are just something I had in a box and thought the beetle would look well against.

View attachment 208928 View attachment 208929

Yeah, they probably don't even need rotten wood in their diet, seeing as I find them in my backyard and there are not many dead trees here at all.

Nice, seems like P.californicus, though it could be depressus. I can't tell from these pics, are the margins purple or just black? Either way they are beautiful beetles, would love to own some! (And try to breed them). I wonder what exactly is needed for oviposition, and how this guy was able to do it? http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1708&hl=pasimachus

 

[BobBarley]

Nice, seems like P.californicus, though it could be depressus. I can't tell from these pics, are the margins purple or just black? Either way they are beautiful beetles, would love to own some! (And try to breed them). I wonder what exactly is needed for oviposition, and how this guy was able to do it? http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1708&hl=pasimachus

Do you find the indentations going down the elytra to be significant?

 

[Jacob Ma]

You lucky duck! The only beetle that looks remotely close to & is common in my area is Scarites subterraneus, but they are a lot smaller than Pasimachus sp.
I recently found a single, but decently sized Narceus americanus (American millipede) under a log, and is there anything I can trade for that? It is a red and grey striped millipede currently around 9-10 cms. I can try to make an effort to find some more later this spring or summer.

 

[Hisserdude]

Do you find the indentations going down the elytra to be significant?

Those indentations are probably due to poor pupation conditions, and must have been obtained when the beetle was still teneral. Those indentations are not natural.

 

[Hisserdude]

You lucky duck! The only beetle that looks remotely close to & is common in my area is Scarites subterraneus, but they are a lot smaller than Pasimachus sp.
I recently found a single, but decently sized Narceus americanus (American millipede) under a log, and is there anything I can trade for that? It is a red and grey striped millipede currently around 9-10 cms. I can try to make an effort to find some more later this spring or summer.

Scarites and Pasimachus are actually closely related, they are in the same subfamily! And hey, at least you got Scarites, all we got here is Clivina, which is way smaller than Scarites.

 

[BobBarley]

Those indentations are probably due to poor pupation conditions, and must have been obtained when the beetle was still teneral. Those indentations are not natural.

I see, though in a pm (conversation I guess) @ErinM31 observed that all the specimens he collected have those indentations.

Edit: I should probably word that better, he believes all the specimens around his area have them.