dinnervan
Egg
I have unexpectedly come into beetle rearing after capturing wild male and female Ox beetles (aloeus strategus) in the same week. I'm in Central Texas and have never even seen these before, and still have only seen these two that I captured at the end of May. Anyway, after getting a 10 gal tank and sterilizing some potting soil and rotting hackberry, I've left them to their own devices together for about a month. They mostly seemed interested in obsessively digging holes and tunnels to hide in. After covering the tank with plastic to raise the humidity, they've become much more active on the surface and taken greater interest in the apple slices and banana jelly I offered them.
My first post on these forums was going to be to ask what on earth they were up to, but I have just spotted 3 tiny orange headed grubs through the glass of the tank! And here I wasn't even sure if they've laid eggs. So now my question is, what should I do with this arrangement since I didn't find the unhatched eggs? I tried to fill the tank with suitable substrate just for this occasion, but should I remove the adults since they seem intent on continuing to dig around? I should be able to catch the male easily with some jelly, the female is more elusive.
Other questions: Will the female continue to lay if given more undisturbed substrate? Does she need additional time with the male? Is it generally preferred to separate everyone now that eggs are hatching, or should I just let them be? I don't have any other females to put with the male (at this time. I keep looking though). Should I eventually transfer the grubs into plastic containers or can I let them all mingle in the tank? I would like to try and mount the male when he dies, so I would prefer to not have to dig through wet substrate to find him. Thanks!
My first post on these forums was going to be to ask what on earth they were up to, but I have just spotted 3 tiny orange headed grubs through the glass of the tank! And here I wasn't even sure if they've laid eggs. So now my question is, what should I do with this arrangement since I didn't find the unhatched eggs? I tried to fill the tank with suitable substrate just for this occasion, but should I remove the adults since they seem intent on continuing to dig around? I should be able to catch the male easily with some jelly, the female is more elusive.
Other questions: Will the female continue to lay if given more undisturbed substrate? Does she need additional time with the male? Is it generally preferred to separate everyone now that eggs are hatching, or should I just let them be? I don't have any other females to put with the male (at this time. I keep looking though). Should I eventually transfer the grubs into plastic containers or can I let them all mingle in the tank? I would like to try and mount the male when he dies, so I would prefer to not have to dig through wet substrate to find him. Thanks!
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