How to breed Lucanus capreolus?

[jreidsma]

Hi,

I am going to be getting some L. capreolus stags from a trade on the mantidforums

But, I just want to get some info on breeding them. Like what substrate to use (I use coconut coir for everything), I can get stuff from the pet store, like coconut husk and stuff.

And then what to feed the adults and larva? I was thinking of feeding them fruit, would that work? And then what about the larva?

I know I need to house all of the males separately. I am thinking of maybe having one male and one female in each container, but if I did that then I wouldn't be able to give them a lot of digging room. And then I would look for eggs/larva a little while later and move the eggs/larva into a bigger container just for them. Or I could house all the males separately and just have them take turns staying the the tank with all the females. What sounds like a good idea for that?

Do the adults eat the larva? or is that not something I should be worried about?

 

[Oak]

Hi,

I am going to be getting some L. capreolus stags from a trade on the mantidforums

But, I just want to get some info on breeding them. Like what substrate to use (I use coconut coir for everything), I can get stuff from the pet store, like coconut husk and stuff.

And then what to feed the adults and larva? I was thinking of feeding them fruit, would that work? And then what about the larva?

I know I need to house all of the males separately. I am thinking of maybe having one male and one female in each container, but if I did that then I wouldn't be able to give them a lot of digging room. And then I would look for eggs/larva a little while later and move the eggs/larva into a bigger container just for them. Or I could house all the males separately and just have them take turns staying the the tank with all the females. What sounds like a good idea for that?

Do the adults eat the larva? or is that not something I should be worried about?

The larvae feeds on decaying wood such as oak and the adults feed on beetle jelly or fruits.

Put 1 male and 1 female in each container. If you see them mating, great!

Around a week later, put the female in a big/deep container where she can lay eggs.But before putting her in the container,put soil about 6 inches deep and put some decayed oak logs and leaves (She will not lay eggs if the substrate isn't good.)Also, put some fruits or beetle jelly in the container for the female, if you put fruits, i would change the fruit everyday so it's fresh. Wait about a month, and remove the female from the container. and you might see some eggs

I hope this helped

 

[jreidsma]

The larvae feeds on decaying wood such as oak and the adults feed on beetle jelly or fruits.

Put 1 male and 1 female in each container. If you see them mating, great!

Around a week later, put the female in a big/deep container where she can lay eggs.But before putting her in the container,put soil about 6 inches deep and put some decayed oak logs and leaves (She will not lay eggs if the substrate isn't good.)Also, put some fruits or beetle jelly in the container for the female, if you put fruits, i would change the fruit everyday so it's fresh. Wait about a month, and remove the female from the container. and you might see some eggs

I hope this helped

Hmm... I am allergic to wood...

Would some sort of wood at the pet store work? Like if they had bagged wood chips or something? If possible I don't want to take wild collected wood/leafs into my house as I have a bunch of exotic (and rather pricey) houseplants that could get something from them.

Would there be anything I could use to replace the leafs/wood? And does it have to be oak or could it be anything?

I know with earth worms, instead of using rotting stuff you can mix in coffee grounds into the soil and they like eating that. Or with Eleodes you can put a slice of carrot into the soil and the larva eat that. Or maybe I could mix in oats, lol I have plenty of those

 

[Oak]

um, i think they only feed on hardwood trees. Nothing else, dog food for protein,but you cant only feed them that.

Try asking the petstore what kind of wood this is.

If your alergic to woods, try buying a kinshi bottle online

 

[jreidsma]

um, i think they only feed on hardwood trees. Nothing else, dog food for protein,but you cant only feed them that.

Try asking the petstore what kind of wood this is.

If your alergic to woods, try buying a kinshi bottle online

I will ask the pet store, I should be ok with wood after it settles a while. And if I get it from the pet store it shouldn't have any bugs in it. I will ask and see what all they have. Does it need to be rotted? Or will they eat it in woodchips? Maybe I need to grind some up for them?

Should I bake the wood in the oven for a little bit? I have never done that before so I don't know how to do it.

I have no idea what a kinshi bottle is.

Also, should I mix the wood (or whatever I get for the larva) with a little bit of coconut fiber/coir?

 

[Oak]

I will ask the pet store, I should be ok with wood after it settles a while. And if I get it from the pet store it shouldn't have any bugs in it. I will ask and see what all they have. Does it need to be rotted? Or will they eat it in woodchips? Maybe I need to grind some up for them?

Should I bake the wood in the oven for a little bit? I have never done that before so I don't know how to do it.

I have no idea what a kinshi bottle is.

Also, should I mix the wood (or whatever I get for the larva) with a little bit of coconut fiber/coir?

Yes, it has to be rotted. If it's rotten enough, you should be able break them apart by your hands.

But, try baking them in the oven for about 1min.

and here's a info about kinshi bottles:http://www.insectgeeks.com/blog/view/id_279/title_kinshi/

 

[jreidsma]

Yes, it has to be rotted. If it's rotten enough, you should be able break them apart by your hands.

But, try baking them in the oven for about 1min.

and here's a info about kinshi bottles:http://www.insectgeeks.com/blog/view/id_279/title_kinshi/

I will check out what the pet store has. And if nothing there is satisfactory I can have my grandparents bag up a bunch of rotting wood from fallen trees at my aunts house and I can bake it.

What temperature should I bake it at? And would baking it kill any fungi, bugs, pest, diseases in the wood?

The rotting wood shouldn't bother me too badly,

 

[Oak]

I will check out what the pet store has. And if nothing there is satisfactory I can have my grandparents bag up a bunch of rotting wood from fallen trees at my aunts house and I can bake it.

What temperature should I bake it at? And would baking it kill any fungi, bugs, pest, diseases in the wood?

The rotting wood shouldn't bother me too badly,

Make sure it's hardwood trees, also, im not sure about baking it, but i usually microwave it for 1 min. If you get the rotting wood, soak it for couple hours and then bake it. Also, if you want to kill most of the pests, freeze the wood.

 

[jreidsma]

Make sure it's hardwood trees, also, im not sure about baking it, but i usually microwave it for 1 min. If you get the rotting wood, soak it for couple hours and then bake it. Also, if you want to kill most of the pests, freeze the wood.

So soak the wood (or rotting wood), freeze it, then take it out and microwave it? Microwaving should kill everything (pest, fungi, parasites, diseases)?

Sounds like a plan

I will still check out and see what the pet store has also.

So my grandparents need to collect some oak or maple wood from rotting stumps/trees at my aunts house.

 

[Ryan Minard]

Here are a few more ideas:

Find some rotting wood from a log on the Forrest floor or a stump. Try to find s hardwood. One of my favs is Quercus alba, or white oak.

Now crumble it up a lil, and throw it into a pot of boiling water... Then put it in the freezer till it reaches a decent temp that is not hot at all.

Some bake, some boil, some microwave, some freeze. I just pour the substrate in really hot water then let it cool down in the freezer.

This will kill ALL the pests for sure...

.

And about Kinshi... I do not suggest the use of kinshi for most stag beetles. If you find one of the 2 American Dorcus species though, you can try it. Otherwise, it will kill the stag beetle larva.

 

[jreidsma]

Here are a few more ideas:

Find some rotting wood from a log on the Forrest floor or a stump. Try to find s hardwood. One of my favs is Quercus alba, or white oak.

Now crumble it up a lil, and throw it into a pot of boiling water... Then put it in the freezer till it reaches a decent temp that is not hot at all.

Some bake, some boil, some microwave, some freeze. I just pour the substrate in really hot water then let it cool down in the freezer.

This will kill ALL the pests for sure...

.

And about Kinshi... I do not suggest the use of kinshi for most stag beetles. If you find one of the 2 American Dorcus species though, you can try it. Otherwise, it will kill the stag beetle larva.

I might try that, 100 degrees C should be hot enough

And it sounds a bit easier and not as stinky.

On arachnoboards I was warned that mold will be terrible if I keep the wood (after being sanitized) moist. What could I do about the mold?

 

[Ryan Minard]

I might try that, 100 degrees C should be hot enough

And it sounds a bit easier and not as stinky.

On arachnoboards I was warned that mold will be terrible if I keep the wood (after being sanitized) moist. What could I do about the mold?

Just make sure to not have it TOO moist... That does it for me.. plus I use ventilated containers.

 

[jreidsma]

Just make sure to not have it TOO moist... That does it for me.. plus I use ventilated containers.

Alright, sounds easy enough

Slightly moist, but not moist enough for mold to grow.

I will have then in something like I keep my tarantulas in, if there is enough ventilation for tarantulas there should be for beetle larva