Johnboy

i find if you give the larvae enough logs then they

erm......it is because they are all laid at different time, ergo they all hatch at different times and they are at different stage (L1-L3) at different times. The adult female doesn't give 'birth' to larvae en masse, she lays one egg at a timeover several months. This means that some larvae are several months older than others.

What are the 'best larvae'...they all look the same. Please don't blame the person you bought the larvae from when you can't rear larvae. Hercs are easy, look at your methods, read information and learn and they will be a doddle....

Hi, can you give us a few tips on the rearing /pupation of the larvae. thanks

don't give in, keep at it. I use platic box with clear bottoms so i can see if the larvae has made a cell and when the larvae is in pupal form. Often i like to remove pupa and place in a artificiAL CELL made from florists foam

unbelievable!

thats all the ones i have......theres still a huge gap in the market for a series of books going into great detail on the breeding of each individual beetle species. With lots of colour pics and detailed graphs for that species.

never had them, but i would like to try this species...

Make sure he's got some 'headroom' too.

looks much better IMO. You should dampen the bottom of the foam and place it all into a container that will retain some moisture. But thats just MO.

Lots and lots of weight and graphs of many larvae at : bugnation.co.uk

Yes, thats what species I said it was. Xylotrupes are prone to pupating on the surface. No matter what size tub they are in.

IMO its too vertical and too 'wide'. He needs to be able top rotate himself.Thats JMO

Make a cell....

Well, i'm no expert, but if i were you I'd keep him in the dark as if he emerges and iots light he is likely to try and dig into the oasis and make a mess. He will spend four or five weeks as a pupa 9ithink) then once emerged he will sit around for a week or two then he will eat. I would let him rest for a week once he has emerged them put him in a container he can dig down into , put a piece of banana on top for him and he will find it. When he finds it you'll know. Once he emerges take a close up and we can guess the species. If he is a xylo pubescns theres a good chance i might have a lady available for him...