Goliathus goliatus - wandering at 35g?

scottbot84

scottbot84

L3
I have one (likely female) Goliathus that is wandering for a few days to the point of escaping the container before I secured it with rubber bands.

35g seems a bit small to pupate, should I move it to pupation substrate?

I added food as I do like clockwork and can't tell if it was consumed, it my have been mixed into the substrate.

Conditions are the same as my other larvae, the largest of which is ~50g.

 
The pupation substrate Beetle Source was selling (out of stock ATM). A bit pricey but worth it. It even comes sealed in the bag so the moisture content stays correct.

I'll probably make my own when I need more, but it helps to have a reference at first. Did the same thing with flake soil and other substrates I now make myself.

 
Hi, This is Lucas from Insect Brothers, 

If your Goliathus beetle larva is wandering around in circle and do not eat or try to stand against the wall at L3 stage that is most likely the indicator that your larva is in search of soil to pupate. They often react to temperature change as a trigger or some larvae just pupate faster than the others. 

-ps. If you changed your sub to something foreign to larva it can also be the reason to wander and not eat for a bit.

 
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Interesting reads.

I was wondering if anyone else was raising Goliathus goliatus. I've got what I assume is still an L2. They GROW, my first experience with the species.

When I bought my grub, I bought the breeder recommended substrate and pupation material, coconut fiber and then Georgia red clay, the clay,sold by the pound,

I bought 3 pounds to be sure, I have months to go still, but it's good to have everything on hand. It's exciting to have an animal like this at home, and look forward

to the experiences of others and my own. Good luck with your beetle.

I had a close call on the second day- using a very small heat pad and assume I nearly cooked the grub, but it's been weeks now, and I didn't need the pad anyway.

Changing substrate is important I found out, mine popped off the container lid  once, and changing substrate is a simple thing, even seems easier than

my Lucanus elephus, at least it's a cleaner material. 

 
That's the thing, 100g is an exceptional size, not a normal one. If you look at the article I linked in the beginning, 40-60g is normal weight for a female larvae, males are more like 50-80g. 

I didn't realize that at the time, which is why I made this post.

 
Always good to get more information, I got quite a bit out of the link. The rearing instructions I received from bugsincyberspace is quite

a bit different. My grub is certainly growing well using the instructions I have, although like I've mentioned before, using all the information

a person can get is a good plan, and using other person's experiences in addition to my own has always been helpful for me.

 
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