GlowWorm (beetle)

Dynastes

Dynastes

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This is a female glowworm beetle. The male looks more like a beetle and has huge comb antennae. The glowworms glow anytime you turn the lights off (and when the lights are on but you can't see it). The glow lines look like they'd be between the segments but there is a line of glowing tissue near the back of each segment notably forward from the edge of the segment. The glow spots are on fatty tissue on the sides. This is the largest USA species, Zarhipis integripennis. It's under three inches but can stretch its body out to over six inches. It eats only giant millipedes and does so head first and stretches it's body out inside the millipede as it consumes everything but the exoskeleton. Females live many years and only need to be fed every two or three months.





 

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Orin said:
This is a female glowworm beetle. The male looks more like a beetle and has huge comb antennae. The glowworms glow anytime you turn the lights off (and when the lights are on but you can't see it). The glow lines look like they'd be between the segments but there is a line of glowing tissue near the back of each segment notably forward from the edge of the segment. The glow spots are on fatty tissue on the sides. This is the largest USA species, Zarhipis integripennis. It's under three inches but can stretch its body out to over six inches. It eats only giant millipedes and does so head first and stretches it's body out inside the millipede as it consumes everything but the exoskeleton. Females live many years and only need to be fed every two or three months.
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That is one sick beetle!
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If only I had more millipedes around... lol

 
It's from Arizona but I'm sure you could find them in Texas. They especially love Orthoporus millipedes.

 
I believe they are specific to millipedes. The internal way they eat the millipdes is amazingly specific.

 
I am currently keeping a single female I believe it be Phengodes sp.

This one looks exactly the same as mine. http://bugguide.net/node/view/305791/bgimage

Mine was collected in Tenn. Since I received her she has eaten one 4" Narceus americanus.

That was around 3 months ago so I guess she will need to be fed again soon. Given the locality

of her collection I was wondering if they hibernate? I have been keeping her in an enclsure with a

few small salamander I keep on the cool side and as the temperature has dropped she has been less active and for the last three weeks she has been curled up semi-burrowed under a piece of cottonwood bark. I removed her today and she walked around on my hand and looked nice and plump. I guess I am asking for any tips or suggestions anyone might have for keeping this little girl as happy as I can. Thanks

 
Yes, the females remain in a larvae like state their entire life but the males look nothing like them. The males look more like a moth-fly than a beetle. There seems to very little information on this unusual insect.

 
Ignaz said:
I guess I am asking for any tips or suggestions anyone might have for keeping this little girl as happy as I can. Thanks
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The females tend to live up to a few years and they don't need to eat very often. I would suggest at least offering food every few months. If it's cold (lower than 65F) it probably won't feed.

 
I am unable to breed them as I only have one female. They do molt but mine has not. The one Orin has did.

We are all awaiting new pics. I will post some actual ones of mine once I figure this site out. I still can't figure out my profile.

 
Orin said:
This is a female glowworm beetle. The male looks more like a beetle and has huge comb antennae. The glowworms glow anytime you turn the lights off (and when the lights are on but you can't see it). The glow lines look like they'd be between the segments but there is a line of glowing tissue near the back of each segment notably forward from the edge of the segment. The glow spots are on fatty tissue on the sides. This is the largest USA species, Zarhipis integripennis. It's under three inches but can stretch its body out to over six inches. It eats only giant millipedes and does so head first and stretches it's body out inside the millipede as it consumes everything but the exoskeleton. Females live many years and only need to be fed every two or three months.
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That thing is amazing! so it eats the head then consumes everything but the exoskeleton? Sounds like aliens to me. How does it keep the millipede body from coming apart? How long does it take for the glowworm beetle to consume an adult millepede?

 
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