Alaus Oculatus

[Sara]

Alaus Oculatus the Giant Eyed Texas Click Beetle

Posting some pictures of these Lovely monsters I have been keeping for years, in hope to spark some interest in the species in general. Or possibly find someone else that breeds/keeps these also to share compare info with.

The adults are amazing "sweet' and when place on there back click upright "like all click beetles" Adult females are almost 3 inches as the males are smaller Normaly only 2 inches, 2 1/2 is the largest male I have ever come across. Anyone else come across anything on the different?

The grubs are like little dragons! They are completely predatory and take over 20 instar to reach adulthood in about 19 months. I have had the best luck feeding them crushed crickets in earlier enstars and bits of pinkie mice in later instars.

This will be year four I have captive raised these lovelies. Anyone else have any luck experience with these?

As allways thank you for your time,

Sara

 

[Ometeo]

Hey Sara,

For how many generations have you kept these?

THey look pretty neat, but 3" females

didn't know they grew that big.

 

[Peter Clausen]

That's REALLY cool, Sara! I especially enjoy seeing posts like these on species that are not normally kept by hobbyists. Infinitely more interesting than reading about something that everybody has!

So, are they capable of catching crickets or did you disable the cricket before feeding it to the larva?

 

[Sara]

That's REALLY cool, Sara! I especially enjoy seeing posts like these on species that are not normally kept by hobbyists. Infinitely more interesting than reading about something that everybody has!

So, are they capable of catching crickets or did you disable the cricket before feeding it to the larva?

LOL sorry about the late reply Peter lifes been to busy "facepalm"

When they reach the lator enstars they have absolutly no problem what so ever catching a criket ... "they are fast for a grub and it is pretty awesome" However they prefer newborn pinki mice and amazingly eat the entire thing in a day.. the earlyer enstar do require disabling and burying the criket. I have tryed the dog food with them like the D tityus beeltes but they just ignor it. However I have had some luck feeding them real bacon bits "i mean what won't eat bacon" They are super neat but take forever to grow up.

hope all is well

Sara

 

[Sara]

I have kept 3 gens of these they get pretty big when captive raised. Allmost 3 inches

Hey Sara,

For how many generations have you kept these?

THey look pretty neat, but 3" females

didn't know they grew that big.

 

[Sara]

I have kept 3 gens of these they get pretty big when captive raised. Allmost 3 inches

Here's a pic of a normal sized male next to a ruler I will pull my girl out when she is done digging for the day. Most of them are about this big I have a few monsters, but naturally speaking this is the size you see. The playing dead thing still cracks me up.

I added some pics of this fella pupating, I use fine crushed coconut fiber sub, This year I am trying a few on a leaf and hardwood crush sub I keep my other beetle grubs on "see if it works out better". This guy is pupating on the top "which is rare for them but the behavior is the same" The sides of the cells are very compressed.

When they get ready to pupate they rut out several cells "From what I have noticed , It it the only time they make a chamber of any kind" Normally they sit just below the surface in omg eat everything mode.

When they get ready there legs Will break back and they will start the standard rolling beetle pupating thing. When they are pupating they seem to be more violent "than other beetles I have kept" and thrash around to get out of there grub skin. On the picture you can notice the separation on the segment just behind the head. That means the pupa is about to break out.

Then boom nice pupa .. takes 3-4 weeks to finish up to a beetle. The grubs take about 19 months the bigger ones seem to take 22. I am not sure if temperature effects it at all I keep mine about 80 degrees room temp and very humid.

Hope this helps

 

[Buggnout]

That is insane I came across a couple of large eyed elater larva but didnt collect

got a couple of pix.If I come across them again I might collect and raise. How deep should theire substrate be?

Thanx Sara great work. Im looking to collect and start a calosoma scrutator/calosoma sycophanta culture.

Best wishes

noel aka Buggnout

 

[Lucanus]

The species in the picture is actually Alaus lusciosus which seems to occure only in Texas.

 

[Lucanus]

I agree with Lucanus.

A. oculatus supposed to have larger eyed pattern than that.

Difference bewtween Alaus lusciosus and Alaus oculatus is its eye pattern size. A. oculatus is having bigger ones..

and Alaus zunianus is most similar species to A. lusciosus by seeing the pictures of those two species.

According to the Bugguide, those two species are distributed in different region currently.

I don;t know where you collected at first, to knowing for the further info, you might need to ask for re identification...

Alaus oculatus is not the answer..

She wrote the name as "Giant Eyed Texas Click Beetle" which can be interpreted as this species is collected from Texas.

 

[cre0broter]

i have a question, do some click beetle larvae live in rotting logs? I found an interesting larva that kinda looks like a lighter version of the larva in this topic.

 

[Lucanus]

i have a question, do some click beetle larvae live in rotting logs? I found an interesting larva that kinda looks like a lighter version of the larva in this topic.

Yes they do because they feed on other critures that live inside the wood such as L. capreolus larva.

If the larva that you are talking about is the one that you posted a picture on beetle photo section, than it is not a click beetle larva (They have huge difference. Click beetle larvae have two very sharp mandibles and flat looking body)

 

[DeadInTheBasement]

what do you feed the adults?

i found one today

 

[Lucanus]

what do you feed the adults?

i found one today

Now that's what I call it Alaus oculatus.

I feed mine some various fruit but I think they prefer bananas.

 

[cre0broter]

they eat lucanus capreolus???

I'll make sure to boil any wood i use for them when i catch adults this summer

 

[BeetlesRock9]

I know, old thread.... But Oh mah gawd! I need one... I blame this forum, feeding my beetle obsession. Are they cannibalistic?

 

[Sara]

I know, old thread.... But Oh mah gawd! I need one... I blame this forum, feeding my beetle obsession. Are they cannibalistic?

the grubs sure are

the adults are peaceful get along we together like sliced oranges and tangerines. The adults do not dig at all. The grubs are a different animal completely.

 

[Sara]

Some one asked for some photos of what i keep the larger grubs in I am sure any glass jar would work.

I use large glass candle jars, or apothecary jars.

The candle jars are easily cleaned after burning out a candle remove the rubber bits the seals the lid carefully with pliers so the glass lid has a nice air gap for your grub.

You can remove the old wax residue by sticking the candle in jar in the freezer for an hour the left over wax will shrink and fall right out.

Hope that helps

 

[Lucanus]

Some one asked for some photos of what i keep the larger grubs in I am sure any glass jar would work.

I use large glass candle jars, or apothecary jars.

The candle jars are easily cleaned after burning out a candle remove the rubber bits the seals the lid carefully with pliers so the glass lid has a nice air gap for your grub.

You can remove the old wax residue by sticking the candle in jar in the freezer for an hour the left over wax will shrink and fall right out.

Hope that helps

I think I've seen that kind of jar in dollar tree.

You have one big larvae!

 

[Sara]

I think I've seen that kind of jar in dollar tree.

You have one big larvae!

they still have a ways to go before pupating but they are so cool! A full sized female click grub is amazing to see. This year i will take something for size comparison.