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Just wanted to leave some observations here because I was pleasantly surprised by my recent results. I just purchased a very simple 2-chamber, 36 gallon compost tumbler on Craigslist about 2 months ago, and had it cleaned out and full of a fresh batch of Traeger oak pellets within a couple...

Should I be concerned, or will the sub likely be fine once it's done fermenting in 4-5 months and can be heat treated? I'm currently working on my first batch of outdoor sub, and it's been going really well for a couple weeks (it's actually darkening up a lot quicker than my indoor batch did)...

In the interest of combating fungus gnats and potentially adding some aeration holes to the sides of larvae containers so that I can stack them, I've been looking at 3M micropore tape. It says it breathes well, so I'm wondering if it'll do the job, or if it still blocks too much airflow. Anyone...

Looking for a handful of Gymnetis caseyi larvae. Quantity will depend on price, as there's a newborn at home, so the beetle budget has taken a hit. Honestly, I just need a win in terms of scarab larvae rearing, and these guys are supposed to be quick and absurdly easy.

I know my posts run long, and this one is going to cover a couple different curiosities; I apologize in advance. Anybody use dried wood pellets/blocks at the bottom of their rhino/stag larval containers? Any pros/cons you can share? I've been watching a bunch of videos on YouTube by a Swiss (I...

My Dynastes tityus male somehow had a mite infestation in his enclosure. Luckily, the females are in their own enclosures, and after checking there doesn't appear to be any mites in their containers at all. I've already taken him out and brushed the mites off of him with a paintbrush once last...

Such a beautiful species. Pics really can't capture it.

I've got Orin's Ultimate Guide on the way, but I'm pretty sure my Phanaeus vindex adults will be arriving before it does. Anyone have any experience with this who can offer some basic housing and care tips? I'm not planning on breeding them, but I'd like for the conditions to be available for...

On today's episode of I Truly Know Nothing About Beetles: I checked my egg-laying containers after about a month, this will be these 2 females third months in the containers since confirmed mating (yielding little to no results), and finally found some eggs. Got 4 from one female, and 32 from...

25 or so mid/late L2 available. 30 or so L1s available. Hatched more than I can keep. $10 each. Shipping via USPS Priority (2-3 days) is $7 for up to 6 larvae. Overnight with live-arrival guarantee I'll have to check on a case-by-case basis.

Since 2 of my female D tityus have passed away, I wanted to try to use them as practice for pinning or maybe resin encapsulation. Neither are particularly great specimens, with missing tarsi from constant burrowing during egg laying, but they're my first rhinos, so there is some sentimental...

Still moving along (I think). This picture is after mixing. I no longer get the lighter color on the bottom of the container, and what little smell remains is earthy. I admittedly haven't been very diligent at mixing it the past week. There's not really any noticeable warmth anymore, and it's...

Apparently, our buddy Ratmosphere was exploring the "Change Theme" button at the bottom of the page, and now all he gets on the forum is a completely white screen, so he can't see any posts or anything. Anyone else had this happen or have any idea on how to fix it? He's already reached out to...

I've seen a few people post videos of containers they've received from overseas that have a breathable tape on the ventilation holes on the top. Does anyone have any positive/negative experiences with this stuff? Does it stop fungus gnats? Followed of course by: does anyone have a US source for...

deep sigh Ok, so I've had 2 more deaths, both of a Dynastes sp using oak flake from BiC (which I do not think is the cause or even related). Both of these deaths have involved the larvae surfacing and just hanging out there until death, like my other deaths, but both of the larvae have what...

Just an update. I've moved all of the sub to a single 18 gallon plastic tote from Lowe's. There is consistent slight warmth in the middle of the sub when mixing, and the color is continuing to darken slowly, though the very bottom of the container is still always lighter than the top half (pics...

Do Megasoma species tend to surface or become seemingly lethargic before a molt? I have yet to actually witness a molt, but I've got one M punctulatus who has grown quite fat and firm in the body (head is still fairly small) who is hanging out on the surface of its substrate. The larva barely...

IDing larval instars is still pretty foreign to me. L1 especially messes with me now that I have hatchling D tityus, as their head capsule seems to grow several times its original size during the first week or two, and I've been under the impression that the head capsule size should be a...