I bought a few larvas of this beetle species today. They are really meaty and chunky "maggots":drool: , and my G. Pulchra immediately snatched the one I offered to her. Here in Finland they are also called "dolas". They do have pretty powerful jaws, and I cut them with scissors before feeding, as the guy in the petshop said they had bitten through a plastic box with them! Anyways, they look like a nice addition to my T`s food, but I would like to hear more about raising them myself, if anyone here has experience of it?
Pachnoda butana?
- Thread starter Nike
- Start date
Hi
I think what you have are probably the larvae of Pachnoda marginata, I have seen them offered for sale under this name once or twice before and they are occasionally offered as feeders for herps or tarantulas.
This species is a fairly easy to breed fruit beetle that is very commonly reared by beetle enthusiasts. Larvae will feed on a mix of leaf litter or leaf litter and crumbled rotten wood. The wood and leaf litter must come from non-coniferous trees, conifer wood and needles will kill the larvae. Some breeders rear them entirely in moss peat and add fruit and vegatables for the larve to feed on. The larvae make a small, hard cocoon and emerge as yellow and brown beetles. They breed fairly easily but seem to do better in a humid environment. I keep my adults in a small glass tank with very limited ventilation to keep the humidity up.
There are a number of very good website with information about what subtrates are used and how to keep and breed fruit beetles. Have a look at the following:
http://beetlegate.hyperlink.cz
http://www.naturalworlds.org/scarabaeidae/manual/Scarabaeidae_breeding_1.htm
http://www.flower-beetles.com
Regards
Matt
I think what you have are probably the larvae of Pachnoda marginata, I have seen them offered for sale under this name once or twice before and they are occasionally offered as feeders for herps or tarantulas.
This species is a fairly easy to breed fruit beetle that is very commonly reared by beetle enthusiasts. Larvae will feed on a mix of leaf litter or leaf litter and crumbled rotten wood. The wood and leaf litter must come from non-coniferous trees, conifer wood and needles will kill the larvae. Some breeders rear them entirely in moss peat and add fruit and vegatables for the larve to feed on. The larvae make a small, hard cocoon and emerge as yellow and brown beetles. They breed fairly easily but seem to do better in a humid environment. I keep my adults in a small glass tank with very limited ventilation to keep the humidity up.
There are a number of very good website with information about what subtrates are used and how to keep and breed fruit beetles. Have a look at the following:
http://beetlegate.hyperlink.cz
http://www.naturalworlds.org/scarabaeidae/manual/Scarabaeidae_breeding_1.htm
http://www.flower-beetles.com
Regards
Matt
Yes - I have a couple of larve like that, I'm rearing some Dynastes hercules and Megasoma acteon at the moment. In fact, I think the Magasoma larvae are probably a bit larger. They were hatched in June 2004, so I only have another 18 months or so of rearing before they pupate and turn into beetlesNike said:The middle link,breeding manual page 5. Just check out the size of the 3rd instar larva on the bottom of the page! That`s unreal!
Regards
Matt