Sean C

Hello, In my introduction thread, I mentioned the grub I found in my garden a while back. Well some of them are coming out now and I snapped a subpar picture of them. Was wondering if anyone can determine species now that they are out and about. Also, any diet suggestions are welcome.

Sorry I am posting like a machine. Also, I hope it is alright but I have a link I would like to share and get some feedback on from the experienced keepers. Though my introduction post might not be the best place to post such a thing. Well I can't seem to paste any links at all on the forums..... Google search "scarabaeidae breeding" and you should get a website called naturalworlds.org guide. Has anyone read this and if so, does it seem to be reliable information? It does to me and I planned on using it. I have printed 2 other guides for lack of a better word that seemed to have valuable information.

This is the beetle I found by the way already deceased.

Greatwun : I will try to make it out to Payson for those guys. I do not understand how they can be so plentiful there given the amount of pine forest in the area, if pine is indeed toxic for them. Why would they travel there if they did not develop as grubs in the area? I have some oak crushed, but I do not have much compared to what I have read about the depth they need. Even using a large hammer, crushing is tedious. I have no leaves either. Essentially, I am not ready for grantii =(. The only other wood I can confirm as potentially safe, albeit in limited quantity, is sycamore. All research suggests that is what the tree is. Greatwun, is that an Ox beetle? I found something similar dead in my garden on its back =\. I feel really really foolish right now. Absolutely stupid!!!!! The grubs at the top of this post that I was trying to ID? ......I wanted to see how they were progressing size wise but could not find any. I thought they either died or grew and somehow coordinated an escape out of my small creature room. This is not the case but I was convinced it was. I was sure my substrate was too damp. I was wrong.... In an effort to determine moisture content, I squeezed a couple handfuls..... If you didn't already realize what happened in those last 5 words, let me tell you..... I crushed the chamber of one of them....they are all pupating if that is the right word.....and I feel HORRID! I only crushed one as far as I know, but judging from the foamy white liquid at it's backside, its a gonner. SIGH! I THEN learned to Identify the balls of soil as more then just clumps and found 10ish so there is likely more in the container. Live and learn, but it still really stinks. Having arranged funeral services (I have to joke about this a bit because I feel so stupid and guilty), lets assume they are mutabilis as Lucanus suggests, is it reasonable to assume they will become beetles next year? Do I risk causing more harm and put them in a different substrate? Doesn't seem logical. Also, it finally occurred to me that beetles fly...... I assume you just keep a lid on them and get them to breed, lay eggs, and let them go and start the cycle anew? I have many unanswered questions! I should also note that the remaining suspected chambers have been placed on top of the substrate. Should they be buried?

Thank you for the response Hisserdude. It does help, though I let "her" go. Back to the compost pile where she started.

I assume this is the species based on google. Any confirmation is appreciated! I was in the backyard and it came flying by me and ended up landing in the compost pile and traveled around in it long enough for me to find something to put it in. Thankfully the eggshell was there =p. I am assuming larvae feed on organic matter. Either way it is a beautiful beetle. Love the blue!

So how often do these ground beetles burrow? We thought that he performed a miracle and escaped, but excavation reveals him burrowed to nearly the bottom of the 8 inches of substrate in his enclosure. 1 waxworm was offered and I assume he ate it, but it might also have burrowed.

Ah thanks acro. I wasn't sure if the ridges indicated gender or anything like that. Thanks!

Thank you for the help! I have removed him from that enclosure. What kind of lifespan do they have, and do the ridges on the one mean anything noteworthy, or just that the beetle has ridges?

Wow talk about work, photobucket links would simply not show up when pasted and the photos were too big to upload via attached thumbnail so I had to learn how to resize! In addition to IDing, can someone explain to me what I was doing wrong? I have used photobucket before for such things with no problems. The links show up when pasted to Word, but the cursor flashes and nothing appears here on the forum for some reason. 2 of these beetles are similar in appearance with the one between the rock and the "wall" having ridges around it's center section etc. The other one was missing those ridges. The 3rd is really smooth, but was aggressively mauling left over food for the other 2 beetles which have been in there for a few days. Not aggressive towards the other beetles as far as I know though. They all congregate under the cocohut during the day =). These are my sons beetles, but I want to make sure reasonable care is being provided for them. At any rate any help with pic posting via photobucket, or beetle ID is welcome! Thank you for the help!

Hello, I assume these are all the same species, or same family at least. Can someone ID them? Thank you!

This is good for me to hear as I might have 20ish of them growing in a container I have. I do not think you are doing anything wrong so much as they might be reacting to instinctive responses, such as reproduction? Do they behave that way regardless of time of day? I will have to look at your introduction post as I am not familiar with your negativity. At least in this thread, you appear to be presenting problems which will hopefully be answered soon by someone more knowledgeable than myself.

Did you have success catching them? An idea popped into my head that may or nay not work. I believe bee keepers do this or used to or maybe it was just someone sick of wasps at their house......I will link rather than try to explain....of course modify it for your needs..... http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-2-liter-soda-bottle-wasp-t-43290 With proper modification you might catch them that way, also stopping them from flying away once they are full. Maybe it could be placed in a shaded area to prevent overheating? I suggest overheating given I live in Arizona and it is quite warm at the moment with mother nature apparently turning off the monsoon rain for what I can only assume is the season..... I also assume though that you will check on them long before any risk to them. Then again....you might catch other things you do not want too....

Ah yes I found that picture not too long ago! Really cool actually. They look familiar so I assume I have seen them before and that they are common enough. I would never have guessed on the antennae though. Thanks for looking into species for me!

Hello, Currently, there are 3 of these basking in the porch light. Any ideas? The second picture is quite poor in contrast to the first one....