Amazing finds today in Central FL!!!

Greatwun

Greatwun

Chalcosoma
Went larvae collecting in a different area in East Central FL. I was going through an old oak stump when inside I come across my greatest find ever. A beautiful Scarlet Kingsnake!!!! I've wanted to find one of these since I was 10 and I found it while looking for beetle larvae. And it was found inside an oak tree. I thought these snakes were only found in pine trees under bark but there were pine flatwoods not too far from the area. I have never found such a gorgeous snake as this one in the wild.

Also went through another upright rotting tree and found my very first Dynastes tityus larva!!!! Feels good to finally scratch that off my 2014 goals for the year. Below is also a picture of the D. tityus larva next to a Phileurus truncatus larva. I'm definitely glad I came out to this area to search. I'm hoping to find more great species here this summer when I can set up a blacklight.

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I know we're all here about the beetles, but I love the snake!!! Gorgeous indeed.
That D. tityus larva is sure cute. Be careful not to accidentally make it food for the P. truncatus...

 
Congrats on the snake find! It's always fun to come across cool reptiles or amphibians when hunting for beetles. I found a couple salamanders last year when I was flipping logs, so those were a nice sight. Enjoy your D. tityus!

 
I envy you man. I love central FL. Maybe next time I am down there we can meet up in Polk County. I know a lot of good places there.
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Wow, that is one PRETTY snake! I've never seen a snake this beautiful before.

Congratulations on your findings and I hope you find more cool stuffs soon
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This is a very special one it is apricot striped, the pictures make the apricot look yellow. it looks way better than the pictures show.

 
LarvaHunter said:
Greatwun is being too modest, 15 truncates larvae and a huge female was found as well. This year is going to be great.
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Yes 15 P. truncatus larvae in a tree and 5 other P. truncatus larvae from another tree on another day. The truncatus were found in a much more moist areas that the D. tityus larva. Where I found the D. tityus the ground was very sandy mixed with a little bit of soil. Where I found the P. truncatus was more moist bottoms and muddy with more humidity.

 
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