davehuth
Arachnoknight
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2017
- Messages
- 277
Hello! Mostly I keep millipedes but I also enjoy keeping Gymnetis caseyi because they're so easy and pretty. I recently discovered about 30 larvae and pupal cells of a large scarab in a rotted tree in my yard. Not knowing how to ID the larvae, I set each larva up in its own enclosure filled with the wood in which i found them.
The first pupa has eclosed into a Hermit Flower Beetle, I'm pretty sure it's Osmoderma scabra due to the rough elytra. I love how this beetle looks and behaves!
It's hard to find detailed information online about Osmoderma husbandry, though every reference I find states that they are "very easy."
I thought I'd inquire with the brain trust here to see if anyone has any advice. Here's the setup I plan for the 20 larvae I have now:
- A single communal enclosure for all the grubs.
- A large tub with deep substrate of tightly packed, decomposed wood of the tree I found them in, with some decomposing hardwood leaves mixed in.
- Supplemental food of dog kibble and fruit offered at the surface.
- Keep the substrate damp but not wet.
- I'd go through the whole substrate every 6 months to separate out any pupal cells and move the batch into a new identical enclosure if the substrate is used up.
- Keep pupal cells in a separate enclosure for adults to eclose into, then feed them bananas and fruit juice, and hope they mate and lay eggs in there.
I say all this to see if anyone with experience raising this or a related genus might like to chime in to affirm or correct anything in my plan. I've discovered another well rotted tree on my property to investigate and I may collect another 10 larvae or so. Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
The first pupa has eclosed into a Hermit Flower Beetle, I'm pretty sure it's Osmoderma scabra due to the rough elytra. I love how this beetle looks and behaves!
It's hard to find detailed information online about Osmoderma husbandry, though every reference I find states that they are "very easy."
I thought I'd inquire with the brain trust here to see if anyone has any advice. Here's the setup I plan for the 20 larvae I have now:
- A single communal enclosure for all the grubs.
- A large tub with deep substrate of tightly packed, decomposed wood of the tree I found them in, with some decomposing hardwood leaves mixed in.
- Supplemental food of dog kibble and fruit offered at the surface.
- Keep the substrate damp but not wet.
- I'd go through the whole substrate every 6 months to separate out any pupal cells and move the batch into a new identical enclosure if the substrate is used up.
- Keep pupal cells in a separate enclosure for adults to eclose into, then feed them bananas and fruit juice, and hope they mate and lay eggs in there.
I say all this to see if anyone with experience raising this or a related genus might like to chime in to affirm or correct anything in my plan. I've discovered another well rotted tree on my property to investigate and I may collect another 10 larvae or so. Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
