Figeater Beetles - General Questions

[PowerHobo]

Sorry in advance, I’m just in a rush, completely unprepared, and between appointments at the moment.

My wife and I went to a local farm/orchard to pick some fruit, and I ended up finding loads of figeaters, which I have never seen in Vegas before. I managed to find a container with a lid and catch 10 or so (haven’t counted).

I’ve got them separated into 3 32oz cups right now with a couple handfuls of oak flake sub in the bottom for humidity, and some of the eggplant leaves I found them on. I need to move them into a proper communal container when I get home

I want to assume these guys have very similar needs to G thula, but not sure. Would I be good keeping them in a tank with a few inches of leaf litter substrate and some furniture or leaves to climb on? I’ve notice these guys are HIGHLY active fliers, and I’m not sure if it would be better to limit vertical space to discourage that for their own safety.

I’m extremely short on jellies right now; will these guys do okay on mashed banana, cantaloupe, watermelon, orange, etc?

Do the larvae just need a leaf litter sub like G thula? Any required protein supplements like some of the African flower beetles?

Anything special required to encourage ovipositing?

Finally (I think), any way to sex adults?

Thanks in advance!

[PowerHobo]

Okay, finally home, and had a chance to check out Orin’s Ultimate Guide. I need to get some reptile sand to mix in with the leaf litter sub, but otherwise I think I’m alright. I was skimming so I may have missed some info (particularly on feeding), but the book seemed pretty broad and more focused on exotic flower beetles.

I would still welcome any advice the members here have to offer. I find it’s often more helpful than the info I find on my own.

[TityusAndronicus]

Awesome find! Don't know really anything about these guys, but was intrested in sex determination and found an intresting paper regarding Cotinis texana (which is now classified as Cotinis mutabilis https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=929427#null).

Regarding sexing adults, it states:

"The sexes can be definitely separated, however, by the difference in the terminal abdominal segment. In the males the
median area of this segment is free from bristles and has very
few traces, of sculpturing, while the converse is true in the fe- males"

Here's the paper: https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/199459/TB055-1934.pdf?sequence=1

It looks like it has some good information regarding preferred conditions for ovipositing as well!

Keep us posted on how this project goes!

 

 

[Dynastes]

The eggs are super easy to get and the larvae are super easy to rear, it's the pupation that is difficult.

[PowerHobo]

13 hours ago, Dynastes said:

The eggs are super easy to get and the larvae are super easy to rear, it's the pupation that is difficult.

Is it an issue of correct sub and temps, or is it still a bit of a mystery? I know several other flower beetles make very hard/crusty pupal cells, but I've read C mutabilis cells are fragile and shouldn't even be moved.

15 hours ago, TityusAndronicus said:

Keep us posted on how this project goes!

Thanks for the article!

[Dynastes]

2 hours ago, PowerHobo said:

Is it an issue of correct sub and temps, or is it still a bit of a mystery? I know several other flower beetles make very hard/crusty pupal cells, but I've read C mutabilis cells are fragile and shouldn't even be moved.

http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraandantenna/USInsects/RearingCotinistexana.html

[Goliathus]

I had great results with rearing C. nitida last year.  My solution was to place a layer of lightly compressed clayey/sandy soil (thickness approx. 2") at the bottom of the rearing containers once the larvae were fully mature and nearing time to build cocoons.  The larvae dug down into this layer and made quite solid cocoons in it.  Survival rate was 100%.  I kept each larva in a 16 oz. deli cup, but so long as they aren't too crowded, I think that rearing to maturity in a group should be ok.  I'd think that 25 would be ok pupating in something the size of a 10 gal. tank.

[The Mantis Menagerie]

9 hours ago, Goliathus said:

I had great results with rearing C. nitida last year.  My solution was to place a layer of lightly compressed clayey/sandy soil (thickness approx. 2") at the bottom of the rearing containers once the larvae were fully mature and nearing time to build cocoons.  The larvae dug down into this layer and made quite solid cocoons in it.  Survival rate was 100%.  I kept each larva in a 16 oz. deli cup, but so long as they aren't too crowded, I think that rearing to maturity in a group should be ok.  I'd think that 25 would be ok pupating in something the size of a 10 gal. tank.

Interesting. Adding a clay layer is also essential for success with Goliathus larvae. Maybe this method should be used with more Cetoniinae. 

[Maia]

I know this post is a few years old but are you still keeping them ? If so, I've been looking to get some but I don't live in an area that has them around. Could I possibly purchase some from you so I can start my own small colony ?