Asbolus verrucosus - Blue Death Feigning Beetles eggs, how to?

[cacoseraph]

i recently saw what i believe to be Asbolus verrucosus - Blue Death Feigning Beetles eggs in my collection

anyone have any proven method of raising larva up?

basically everyone i have talked to in real life has said they raise the adults totally different than i do (semi moist on coco coir) and never seen eggs or larva

[zonbonzovi]

I've never heard of anyone raising these from egg to adult and only minute details of getting eggs in the first place. I do think that the non-adult stages require very different conditions than what works for the adults but that's just what I gather from attempting to raise other desert Tenebs= adults drop off more quickly in environs suited to larvae whereas larvae die off en masse in conditions suited to adults.

Or maybe it all just requires conjuring and extreme magicianship?

---------- Post added 04-14-2012 at 05:20 PM ----------

I've never heard of anyone raising these from egg to adult and only minute details of getting eggs in the first place. I do think that the non-adult stages require very different conditions than what works for the adults but that's just what I gather from attempting to raise other desert Tenebs= adults drop off more quickly in environs suited to larvae whereas larvae die off en masse in conditions suited to adults.

Or maybe it all just requires conjuring and extreme magicianship?

[cacoseraph]

ftr, every person i have talked to irl has said, i have never gotten eggs, i have them set up in sand, dry, etc

i keep them on cococoir, which is almost always fairly dark brown/moist. this was my default critter mode cuz i always meant to look up the BDF's. i think i might have stimulated deposition because i *accidentally* spilled too much water into the container when i was watering them one time, 2-3 weeks ago. the adult beetles i fed random things that i give my roaches... chayote, apples, lots of carrots, italian squash, zucchini, oatmeal, cooked brown rice, soy curls, hard boiled eggs, potato and other stuff i could think of later. i have four adults and they eat a HUGE amount compared to their size and anything i have ever kept before. i'll take some pics of my "setup" and post them so you can all laugh along with me =P


edit:
and i tend to slaughterize Tenebs in the egg to adult phase. i can't even raise freaking mealworms very reliably. my only hope is that the random factors of my general lack of skill with them will line up with the requirements of these little guys this time. i am not very hopeful for such an alignment, btw

[GiantVinegaroon]

I would imagine if there are reports of this beetle living 17 years in captivity, then the growth rate for the larvae must be incredibly slow as well.

I've worked with them. I would keep them on a sand/coco mix and mist lightly once a day. They were fed fruits, veggies, dog and fish food. I witnessed mating a few times but cannot recall if I witnessed egglaying.

I read once that the adults are found near creosete bushes often....I wonder if the larvae might feed on their roots?

[MrCrackerpants]

I have raised them to 1.75 inch larva and never got them to pupate. All the larva die. I gave up after 2 years.

[cacoseraph]

Ken the bug guy (where i got my these from) might have up to 1" larva of this species in a more traditional sand set up right now. I have to do some checking to confirm it

[GiantVinegaroon]

Ken the bug guy (where i got my these from) might have up to 1" larva of this species in a more traditional sand set up right now. I have to do some checking to confirm it

Can you post a pic of the larva?

[cacoseraph]

yeah, i'll try to remember to take some pics of them

[beetlefox]

ftr, every person i have talked to irl has said, i have never gotten eggs, i have them set up in sand, dry, etc

i keep them on cococoir, which is almost always fairly dark brown/moist. this was my default critter mode cuz i always meant to look up the BDF's. i think i might have stimulated deposition because i *accidentally* spilled too much water into the container when i was watering them one time, 2-3 weeks ago. the adult beetles i fed random things that i give my roaches... chayote, apples, lots of carrots, italian squash, zucchini, oatmeal, cooked brown rice, soy curls, hard boiled eggs, potato and other stuff i could think of later. i have four adults and they eat a HUGE amount compared to their size and anything i have ever kept before. i'll take some pics of my "setup" and post them so you can all laugh along with me =P


edit:
and i tend to slaughterize Tenebs in the egg to adult phase. i can't even raise freaking mealworms very reliably. my only hope is that the random factors of my general lack of skill with them will line up with the requirements of these little guys this time. i am not very hopeful for such an alignment, btw

When you had them breeding, do you remember the temperature you kept them at? I'm taking a stab at this and bought 10 but I think I ended up with 12? and I am going to be redoing their cage (it's mostly sand right now with more coir moistness on one end of a 30" long tank) to induce breeding, but they hide every time I turn the lights on in my room so I wonder if I am doing something wrong. The temp in here is in the 70's.

[MrCrackerpants]

When you had them breeding, do you remember the temperature you kept them at? I'm taking a stab at this and bought 10 but I think I ended up with 12? and I am going to be redoing their cage (it's mostly sand right now with more coir moistness on one end of a 30" long tank) to induce breeding, but they hide every time I turn the lights on in my room so I wonder if I am doing something wrong. The temp in here is in the 70's.

I had lots of larvae at 70-75 F.