Dynastes tityus from Wetumpka, AL

[Lucanus]

This specimen was collected inside a pine tree as L2 larva around Jan. 2012.

 

[GeneralZero]

I'm surprised it was a pine tree..? Doesn't pine secret something that kills a majority of larvae???

 

[Lucanus]

I'm surprised it was a pine tree..? Doesn't pine secret something that kills a majority of larvae???

Apparently, tityus and elaphus can live in pine trees that has become very decayed. I've heard that pine sap in the tree is responsible for killing larvae so I guess the really decayed woods don't have saps in them.

 

[GeneralZero]

I see okay..the reason I ask is because when I first started rearing early last year I accidentally used decayed pine instead of oak and 3 out of 4 tityus larvae died. The other survived just barely and the wood was fairly decayed and baked to kill anything else off, but I suppose it wasn't enough.

 

[Bill Myers]

I see okay..the reason I ask is because when I first started rearing early last year I accidentally used decayed pine instead of oak and 3 out of 4 tityus larvae died. The other survived just barely and the wood was fairly decayed and baked to kill anything else off, but I suppose it wasn't enough.

Did you use ALL pine wood, or did you have it mixed in with other types of wood?

 

[Lucanus]

 

[Bill Myers]

Wow, the colors are starting to really "pop" on him. Very nice!

Cheers