Eleodes caudiferus

[Hisserdude]

Caught a female while I was at the Bruneau sand dunes, and I believe it has been laying eggs! Found some small hairy larva in the enclosure I am keeping it, and several E.hispilabris in. The larva look much different than E.hispilabris larva, so I assume they are E.caudiferus larva.

Here are some pictures of the female:

 

[trescubes]

Man this is an awsome beetle

 

[Hisserdude]

Man this is an awsome beetle

Yep, certainly the most unique Eleodes in my area! Hopefully I can breed them and sell some pairs eventually, I would love to spread these around in the hobby!

 

[Hisserdude]

Well I'm pretty sure the whole larva thing was a false alarm, not seeing any unusual larva in the enclosure and I think that early instar E.hispilabris are a little hairy. Also, turns out this is not E.caudiferus, that species does not live in Idaho and is not hairy, this is a female Eleodes longipilosus, a similar, hairier species that does range this far north.

 

[Ratmosphere]

So gnarly!