Coelus ciliatus

[Hisserdude]

Another uncommonly kept darkling beetle, these guys are sand dune specialists, and require a sandy substrate. I am keeping them in a medium sized container filled with sand and a tiny bit of coconut fiber. There is a layer of dead leaves on top of the substrate, which serves as a food source. They are also being fed dog food and carrots. Hopefully these guys breed for me, I don't know if anyone has successfully managed to get this species to reproduce in captivity.

Here are some pictures!

 

[Hisserdude]

They have been laying eggs, some of which are hatching! Here is a picture of an egg:

 

[Hisserdude]

Larva.

 

[Hisserdude]

YES!! Several weeks after separating a couple large larva into sand filled deli cups for pupation, I found these beauties in the deli cups!

These may be the first captive reared Coelus ciliatus ever reported! I'm very happy I was able to rear some to adulthood, but a little disappointed I didn't photograph them as pupa. They did not build cells at the bottom of the cups like most darkling larvae do, so I did not even know that they pupated until I found the adults today. I'll have to dig up some of the other larvae I've isolated to find a pupa.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Super rad!

 

[Hisserdude]

Super rad!

Thanks man!

 

[Hisserdude]

Here's are some pictures of a pupa and the resulting adult.

Pupa:

Adult:

 

[arizonablue]

Wow, awesome pics! Great job with these guys!

 

[Hisserdude]

Wow, awesome pics! Great job with these guys!

Thanks!

I'd love to get some of the other Coelus species one day, these guys have pretty limited ranges and live in fragile dune habitats, some are even threatened, would be nice to establish them in culture before we drive them to extinction.

 

[pannaking22]

If they become endangered you could also be the one to write the protocols on how to keep them going, kind of like what's happening with the American burying beetle

 

[Hisserdude]

If they become endangered you could also be the one to write the protocols on how to keep them going, kind of like what's happening with the American burying beetle

Yeah, and I'm sure that it unfortunately will come to that, or something like that, as many of the Coelus have pretty limited ranges, hopefully we can get more of these into culture.