using methyl paraben or vinegar with syrup for dynastes

[skips]

So, just like the title says. I'm assuming leaving a diluted syrup (pure sugar) solution in my dynastes tityus enclosure for more than a few days will breed bacteria and mold like no one's buisness. Do you think it would be safe to use either methyl paraben or vinegar in the solution? I only have one pair so I dont want to "experiment." People use both M.P. and vinegar in fruitfly cultures (I do myself) so I figured it probably wouldnt hurt my dynastes. Thoughts? thanks

 

[skips]

no one has dynastes? No one has tried to make the syrup last longer?

 

[zonbonzovi]

Never have raised D. tityus adults( have some L2s right now)- with other beetles that I've fed diluted syrup I've just switched out the solution every few days. It usually begins to dry up at that point. IF you decide to experiment, I'd love to hear your results. Good luck!

 

[lukatsi]

I have Dynastes hercules and I feed them bananas (or apples) mixed with sugar, honey and nutrition supplement. It rots very badly, had to change it every second day. There are those beetle jellies from Japan, they're made with agar-agar, I tried to make with gelatine but it doesn't work.

 

[Matt K]

Sugar is a preservative, so its not likely to mold. At one point I had beetles that I gave diluted (real) maple syrup, if that helps.

 

[Galapoheros]

I've never kept these beetles, but I was thinking about 'honey' when I read the thread. It's naturally preserved pretty well, would they eat that? Or maybe honey added to something else would help if from molding very fast:?

 

[skips]

hmmm...I cant really justify a life threatening experiment with beatles that arent technically mine. It seems though that honey and syrup keep fairly well on their own. I'll have to go with the flow.

 

[Matt K]

You could email ElytraandAntennae, (Orin), as he knows all the answers you can want....I know he has both bred and written many articles for books regarding D.tityus and D. granti.

 

[ftorres]

Hello,
There is an old Japanese formula to make beetle food, it is based on a Sake type of liquor, more like vodka. It mixes with brown sugar and cook on the stove.

So I think it might be OK for them.

Sometiems some beeltes eat rotten (fermeted fruit) in the wild.

I don't think it should be a problem if you use very little of it in the mixture.

But I think that would be too much trouble as you can put small pieces of apple until they finish it and then replace it for a new piece.

regards

francisco

 

[What]

You could email ElytraandAntennae, (Orin), as he knows all the answers you can want....I know he has both bred and written many articles for books regarding D.tityus and D. granti.

How about we get him to post the info for all to see instead of pushing his books...

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

How about we get him to post the info for all to see instead of pushing his books...

Good luck with that one!

 

[Matt K]

How about we get him to post the info for all to see instead of pushing his books...

Well, the problem with that is Orin has written so much that it makes for too much even for a book and would be unreasonable to type all that into a forum mega-page on a forum principally dedicated to arachnids. I have bought his books and found them to be very helpful and well worth the everyday low price of each one, hence I recommend them- it save ALOT of time for the person who has the question(s) about the bug at hand.

 

[skips]

Already bought the book. Thanks Orin . bought the beetles from him too . I agree though. If you're going to spend that much time doing research on the various ways to keep beetles and it is your livelihood, you damn well better be making some money off it. I just didnt want to bug him with my every little question--especially one that is not necessary to their existence, just my convenience.

 

[What]

Well, the problem with that is Orin has written so much that it makes for too much even for a book and would be unreasonable to type all that into a forum mega-page on a forum principally dedicated to arachnids.

How much effort does it take exactly to explain a feeding strategy? People summarize things for people on AB all the time, breeding strategies, housing advice, longevity info, etc.

I dont buy the "unreasonable effort" angle, nor do I buy the "not dedicated to other inverts" one.

I have bought his books and found them to be very helpful and well worth the everyday low price of each one, hence I recommend them- it save ALOT of time for the person who has the question(s) about the bug at hand.

I dont doubt they have good info in them, I just think the fact that he feels the need to keep the info locked away in his books and not contribute anything to the forums to be, well, exactly opposite what someone that claims to care about the community should be doing with their info. His response speaks for itself. Here, I will be nice and even include a bonus example!

If you're going to spend that much time doing research on the various ways to keep beetles and it is your livelihood, you damn well better be making some money off it.

Do you really think that his books are his only source of income?

People I appreciate far more than Orin (because they contribute their knowledge to the community instead of trying to profit off of it) undoubtedly spend/have spent just as much time researching the various areas they are interested in. They chose to share their knowledge to advance the hobby and the collective knowledge related to these fields, something that I find to be very consistent with what someone that cares about the community would be doing.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

People I appreciate far more than Orin ...

Who are these people? You?
I'd like to imagine the effort I've put into promoting the hobby speaks for itself. Books and magazines cost money to put out which can't be recouped in such a tiny market.
You passed on some really bad info in your other post and expect me not only to point out the error but explain it to your satisfaction and now you attack me in threads I haven't even posted in.

 

[What]

Who are these people? You?

- Cheshire & Tleilaxu for their work with wasps.
- Skinheaddave for his wonderful work on scorpion photography.
- Cacoseraph for both his state scolopendra list and his state by state mygalomorph list.
- hauser for being the only person to have successfully bred Sicarius sp. in captivity with documentation.
And the list goes on, the only thing I would even consider putting myself on the list for is my work with Lutica, but that isnt at all community driven(mostly focused on conservation). <shameless plug>But, I do have a nice little info page for them here and the wiki article(by me).</shameless plug>

I'd like to imagine the effort I've put into promoting the hobby speaks for itself. Books and magazines cost money to put out which can't be recouped in such a tiny market.

Then why sell them? You could just as easily put all the info up on a website and sell ad space. You would profit from it too. Though, I am unsure as to what you are referring to with the effort you have put into "promoting the hobby"...

You passed on some really bad info in your other post and expect me not only to point out the error but explain it to your satisfaction and now you attack me in threads I haven't even posted in.

I simply took an excerpt from a website that to my knowledge was providing accurate info. I never said it was correct, just that a page on a .edu domain was presenting that info. You then proceeded to say that it was wrong(with no explanation) and use the thread to promote your book.

At least I was *trying* to help him, you were trying to help your sales. Were you not?

 

[Matt K]

Kevin aka "What"?

For starters, your user name says it all....

Second, some of those people you listed are frequently misleading or argumentative and the "work" they do with those insects is pretty insignificant. I can see why you admire them though....

But I could/should simply say: Are you hating on Orin because of jealousy or envy? You attacks read like you wish you were the one who published something that someone would buy.....

Everyone who posts on Arachnoboards is contributing to the hobby regardless of how much they post and what level of education they have in the field. That is the benefit of AB, whether you "buy that" or not. As it happens, Orin has more years of experience than anyone you seem to know, hence whatever and however he offers up that experience is a contribution to the hobby.

*Note: By the way- its pretty naive of you to think that anyone "trying to help thier sales" is actualy doing so in the bug/arachnid hobby....its never really about "sales" because no one really earns a good living solely on bugs. This is a hobby, relatively small, and not major commerce.

 

[Matt K]

Could this thread get a little more back on topic?

 

[What]

Second, some of those people you listed are frequently misleading or argumentative and the "work" they do with those insects is pretty insignificant. I can see why you admire them though....

So what do you class as significant? A lot of what they have done is far more rigorous than many of the papers published by Entomologists and Arachnologists in the course of their jobs.

But I could/should simply say: Are you hating on Orin because of jealousy or envy? You attacks read like you wish you were the one who published something that someone would buy.....

No, if I wanted to publish something and make money I would simply publish all my photos of California native inverts. Something which I have had offers related to which I declined because I would have to take them down from my flickr.

Everyone who posts on Arachnoboards is contributing to the hobby regardless of how much they post and what level of education they have in the field. That is the benefit of AB, whether you "buy that" or not. As it happens, Orin has more years of experience than anyone you seem to know, hence whatever and however he offers up that experience is a contribution to the hobby.

Matt, is that really the measure of contributing that you want to use? Being active in a community is not necessarily contributing to it.

Just because Orin may have "more years of experience" does not mean he is more knowledgeable, and a contribution one must pay to see is not much of a contribution. This is especially true when you consider that in the technical environment we live in info could be given away freely while still paying for hosting costs + a bit extra.

*Note: By the way- its pretty naive of you to think that anyone "trying to help thier sales" is actualy doing so in the bug/arachnid hobby....its never really about "sales" because no one really earns a good living solely on bugs. This is a hobby, relatively small, and not major commerce.

That is completely understood, but what else would his responses been about? A text body saying "no that isnt right" and then a photo of a "book" that is supposed to contain the info all seems to be sending one message and one message only. "Buy my book."

Could this thread get a little more back on topic?

It seemed pretty obvious to me at about the 9th post that no more info was going to be posted.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I have a website with caresheets for a few types of beetles including D.tityus, it's old but the information is still an accurate rearing account. It's been up there a while, originally hosted by geocities in 96'. Apparently websites aren't the end all. Also, I'm guessing you've never seen beetleforum.net either.

Then why sell them?

There's more than just your way. The written word is still valued in some circles, not everyone sits on the computer all day reading websites. The usual thread on a forum might reach a few people who care.

At least I was *trying* to help him, you were trying to help your sales. Were you not?

I was helping by letting him know the link you provided is wrong and detailed two major errors. I didn't imagine you'd be so angry since it's not even your site. As for the book cover, I think it's a great photo. I can't imagine you honestly think a book was sold from that post.