I'm not super sure how to make it. Apparently I must find it or make it, and I'm not so sure what it looks like in the wild nor do I know how to make it. It would be a great help to me if someone could help me out, as I plan on breeding Lucanus which I'm sure require a girthy white rotten log to oviposit. Thanks!
White Rotten Wood(help me)
- Thread starter Dragozap
- Start date
The Mantis Menagerie
Fresh Imago
JKim
Mecynorrhina
No species in genus Lucanus requires rotten log or mushroom grown logs at all. Don't worry. You will be fine with just substrate/flake soil. When you set up a container for a pair or a mated female, pour in half of substrate into the container and press it down to harden it, and pour the rest of substrate over without any press. That makes a boundary of soft to hard, and that's where the female likes to lay eggs because females want to lay eggs on safe area where eggs can be secured and safely stored. Female also hardens substrate around the eggs, so pressing substrate will promote females to lay more and more eggs in the container.
Sounds neat! May I ask, how much substrate I should put per female and how much egg laying space will be required of each one? Thanks!
Bugboy3092
Strategus
Which species of lucanus are you talking about? Most of them definitely need a rotten log to lay eggs in (they burrow into the log and lay eggs inside of it). They don’t need white rotten wood, and a few varieties will work. I’m pretty sure the best kind is a sort of grayish color that isn’t too soft, pretty easy to find in the wild. I believe oyster mushrooms are the generally used fungus for lucanid logs
Bugboy3092
Strategus
Also, the ultimate guide states that a (almost) full 5 gallon aquarium/terrarium (I use Aquariams because they’re wayyyy cheaper) filled with crushed up wood (with the logs buried in the bottom) is good for one, although two can lay eggs in it
Sounds nice! Since I live in America, I would most definitely be referring to L. Elaphus. You mentioned beetle breeding logs, which I've heard everywhere(except from JKim), but I'm not sure how to make the logs. I watch Daniel Ambuhl's video on how to make white rotten wood, but the instructions were rather unclear(as to how you'll find green wood- I don't know who sells them or where to look for them, and where to buy oyster pellets and etc etc), and I know you can find them in the wild except for the fact that I'm about 2 hours away from the nearest hardwood forest! I'd also like to know how deep the substrate must be. Instruction as to how to reliably make edible rotten wood for beetles would be very helpful as well! Thanks!
(if possible, i'd love some visuals(pictures of the type of wood and such), i know im asking for a lot but most of this information has been rather unclear to me)
(if possible, i'd love some visuals(pictures of the type of wood and such), i know im asking for a lot but most of this information has been rather unclear to me)
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JKim
Mecynorrhina
I don't know what Bugboy3092 has experienced, but yes, Lucanus elaphus can lay eggs in rotten logs, but it's not a requirement or anything necessary for rearing them indoor. I can say NO LUCANUS SPECIES in the world ever "NEED" rotten logs. They can lay eggs in the rotten logs, but that does not mean they "NEED" it. having depth of about 5-6 inches is recommended with enough humidity in substrate. larger (wideness than depth) the container, better and potentially more eggs can be laid. I would use a container in size of anything larger than 7-8 quarts.
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DorcusHopeiHopei
Egg
There are few species that need rotten logs to lay eggs, but there are always exceptions. Also, as JKim has mentioned here, rotten logs are NOT must for Lucanus species.