Hi, I am new to beetle keeping and I have some experience with Phasmids.
I have temporarily kept native species of beetles or other insects.
Now i want to keep some more spectacular insects, like giant beetles.
Partly because i love insects, and partly because I enjoy filming them and making them look like giant monsters.
(The larger the insect, the easier it is to make it look large).
For my first year with beetle breeding, i chose phalacrognanthus muelerri and Mecynorrhina torquata ugandensis
But i need lots of advice, since detailed information is scarce on the internet.
My mane questions are,
1. What substrate do my chosen beetle species need?
2. How long does development take?
3. How to breed them?
4. Does the rainbow stag need kinshi substrate , fluffy or hard ?
5. Is collected substrate good for either species (i have many large oaks, lots of decaying wood )?
6. Is rotten walnut wood any good (not black walnut)
7. As a woodworker i have lots of sawdust, can any sawdust not from conifers be used ?
8. What mushroom species to use for kinishi ? (I currently have reishi and oyster )
That's it
thanks for any replies.
I have temporarily kept native species of beetles or other insects.
Now i want to keep some more spectacular insects, like giant beetles.
Partly because i love insects, and partly because I enjoy filming them and making them look like giant monsters.
(The larger the insect, the easier it is to make it look large).
For my first year with beetle breeding, i chose phalacrognanthus muelerri and Mecynorrhina torquata ugandensis
But i need lots of advice, since detailed information is scarce on the internet.
My mane questions are,
1. What substrate do my chosen beetle species need?
2. How long does development take?
3. How to breed them?
4. Does the rainbow stag need kinshi substrate , fluffy or hard ?
5. Is collected substrate good for either species (i have many large oaks, lots of decaying wood )?
6. Is rotten walnut wood any good (not black walnut)
7. As a woodworker i have lots of sawdust, can any sawdust not from conifers be used ?
8. What mushroom species to use for kinishi ? (I currently have reishi and oyster )
That's it
thanks for any replies.