Harpalus sp.

[cfreidsma]

​Found quite a few of these in Allegan and Grand Haven Michigan. I collected a few to hopefully start a breeding project. If anyone knows anything about breeding and/or keeping these feel free to post

I am thinking they are omnivorous. I think I remember being told a few years back, but I cannot remember where.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Really awesome find!

 

[Hisserdude]

They are indeed omnivorous, they'll eat grain based dog/cat foods in addition to either really slow moving or pre-killed prey.

I've kept and bred H.pensylvanicus before, see my thread here: http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2399&hl=harpalus

In retrospect, there's a lot of things I would do differently, wouldn't have kept larvae on sand for starters, coconut would work better, would also feed them much smaller prey, and would have placed the mature larvae in deli cups with moist, compressed substrate an inch or so deep for pupation.

 

[cfreidsma]

They are indeed omnivorous, they'll eat grain based dog/cat foods in addition to either really slow moving or pre-killed prey.

I've kept and bred H.pensylvanicus before, see my thread here: http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2399&hl=harpalus

In retrospect, there's a lot of things I would do differently, wouldn't have kept larvae on sand for starters, coconut would work better, would also feed them much smaller prey, and would have placed the mature larvae in deli cups with moist, compressed substrate an inch or so deep for pupation.

Right now they are in a plastic shoe tote with around two inches of coconut. They loved the pelleted fish food I am giving my Eleodes. One carried one away into its little burrow it made. I'll see about getting some small mealworms.

I'll separate the larva and eggs as I see them like you said then. Fruit flies would probably be good for them.

Thanks

 

[Hisserdude]

Right now they are in a plastic shoe tote with around two inches of coconut. They loved the pelleted fish food I am giving my Eleodes. One carried one away into its little burrow it made. I'll see about getting some small mealworms.

I'll separate the larva and eggs as I see them like you said then. Fruit flies would probably be good for them.

Thanks

Good, sounds like a nice setup for the adults.

Fruit flies won't work for the larvae, which have almost no actually hunting skills and are quite lazy, they won't be able to catch the fruit flies at all. Pre-killed prey is a must for the larvae.

 

[cfreidsma]

Good, sounds like a nice setup for the adults.

Fruit flies won't work for the larvae, which have almost no actually hunting skills and are quite lazy, they won't be able to catch the fruit flies at all. Pre-killed prey is a must for the larvae.

I can just pre kill the fruit flies then. That and small crickets for once they grow a little bit.

 

[Hisserdude]

I can just pre kill the fruit flies then. That and small crickets for once they grow a little bit.

That may work, just make sure they are easy to find for the larvae, keeping them in tiny deli cups at first greatly improves their chances of finding prey.