Unusual insects

[Raqua]

I always adored predator bugs of genus Carabidae ... They were quite easy to keep, although I never tried to breed them.
Do any of you have any Manticora spp. ?

 

[Dark Raptor]

Hi!

I keep Cerambycidae in the same wood in which I've found their larvae. It is very difficult to breed them. I was only successful with genus: Rhagium, Tetropium, Hylotrupes and Corymbia. I also reared some Lamia, Leptura and some other species. But I was able to have only imagines, they never breed in tanks. I've heard that some Cerambyx species can be feed on carrots mixed with rottened oak wood. Before pupation you should prepare them special "pupation cells" (glass pipes ect.) They've got very long larval developement: 1 - 5 years. Some Hylotrupes larvae, can spend in wood more than 16 years.

I keep my Gryllotalpa in large tank (80x30x25 cm). At the beggining I've been using sand as substrate (as you see on photos), but I realized that humid soli is much better. They eat almost everything: fruits, vegetables, meat. They spend almost all their life underground, but when thwy are mature, you can hear them.
One female produce more than 100 eggs. She feeds newly hatched larvae and protect them. This is very nice part of their life

 

[Dark Raptor]

I always adored predator bugs of genus Carabidae ... They were quite easy to keep, although I never tried to breed them.
Do any of you have any Manticora spp. ?

No. I keep only native species.

 

[Raqua]

Darkraptor: thanks, interesting ...

 

[Dark Raptor]

Armed and dangerous...

Ok. Two more.
This is BB'gun not real gun, so I believe I can show this stuff here (I don't know US law).

Here are my hissers and S. gastrica. They are armed and dangerous ;P

Enjoy!

 

[roach dude]

boom cool pics lol

 

[reptillian]

cool pics a bit grosse

 

[Wade]

Ok. Two more.
This is BB'gun not real gun, so I believe I can show this stuff here (I don't know US law).

Don't worry about it, gun ownership is practically required by our constitution.

BB guns are fine for hissers, but American cockroaches prefer 9mm's. Takes like a 1,000 of them to even aim it at you, however, so it's not usually a problem. They're all talk.

Wade

 

[looseyfur]

I must say this thread is excellent and I have really enjoyed it so far.

Definate thumbs up for dark raptors photos as well.




thanks for sharing-

loosey :worship:

 

[Dark Raptor]

Thanks!

As a reward I will show you some european Hemiptera species.
I don't work on them, so I didn't ID them.

Newly hatched larvae.

These were captured in flagranti

"Hunter"

This is Gerris sp. - I know only this one

 

[Spiderling LT]

these are mine photos

Sorry for bad qality

 

[Dark Raptor]

Nice pics.

I know and like this one. It is Pyrrhocoris apterus. They are very social and you can keep them in terrarium if you want.

 

[Dark Raptor]

More insects from Poland

Dytiscus marginalis (Dytiscidae). Males use this sucker during underwater copulation. Keeping them is sometimes very difficult. They are predators, so water in their aquarium quickly turns into sewage

Forficula auricularia (Dermaptera) - mature female. I've kept them for few months. In Europe, you can find them everywhere (they like dark, humid places).

Cicindela hybrida (Carabidae) - the most comon species of that genus in Poland. They love sandy roads, but you don't see that in that picture ). Difficult to breed (I had too many problems with that beetle).

Trichodes apiarius (Cleridae) - larvae of that beetle is bee parasite. Mature insects feed on flowers.

 

[Nikos]

Nice pics.

I know and like this one. It is Pyrrhocoris apterus. They are very social and you can keep them in terrarium if you want.

nice bugs. what do you feed them in captivity?

 

[Dark Raptor]

I've been collecting and giviving them lime seeds. They also eat other plant seeds, bodies of dead insects, and living mealworm larvae.

 

[packer43064]

This is the best thread ever. I just love insects, i'm going to try raising some beetles this summer. What's a good species to raise. And what they should be in and what they eat. Thanx in advance.

 

[Dark Raptor]

Thanks

This is very "wide range" question :? . We have more than 400.000 beetle species, they live almost everywhere and eat almost everything.

I think you should try to breed some Scarab beetles. They are beautiful and they have very interesting biology.
Check this pages:
http://www.naturalworlds.org/goliathus/index.htm
http://www.coleoptera-xxl.de/
http://www.flower-beetles.com/

And of course, if you want to keep some native species, it is good to ID them, and check info in the Internet or in books, about their biology, habitat ect.
Place where you find these beetles, plants they are eating, are also helpful if you want prepare tank for them and provide correct food. It is very important for weevils, leaf beetles and long horned beetles.

And of course I know only small part of european fauna. There are too many insect species (just kidding ).

 

[vipvenom]

Here are some pics of some insects I found in Costa Rica. Can anyone Identify the moth? It is about 2inches long. Also the other pics are of a random gold looking ant and a group of leaf cutters.

 

[packer43064]

I don't live in europe though. It all says it cost blank euros. I don't have euros. I'll try catching some around my house in the summer, are their any ways of catching beetles. I don't really care what kind of beetles I catch it'll be cool anyways, what ever I get. Do beetles live in wood, because there is a big tree that has fallen down awhile ago. COuld there be beetles in there that I could find, in the summer though.

 

[Alex S.]

Hey Dark Raptor, awesome photo of the Dytiscus suction pads.

In reference to your problem with the sanitation in the dytiscid aquarium; if you have the extra money and plan on maintaining the aquarium for a long period of time I suggest using an actual power filter used in fish aquariums. They are very efficient in keeping the aquarium water circulated, clean, clear, and absent of harmful substances. I use filters and heating systems in all of my nepomorph (aquatic Heteroptera) aquariums and it has always worked great.

Alex S.