Inky is dying.

Bugoodle

Bugoodle

Pupa
My adult Harliquin Flower Beetle I purchased from Bugs In Cyberspace last year is officially the oldest insect we own. She beat Steve the mealworm darkling beetle by 1 month. I've had her for 1 year and 7 months. Of course, her dying any minute is to be expected, she's very old. But something seems off and concerning.

We've been having serious out breaks of fruit flies and grain mites. Even after cleanings, the grain mites quickly come back. Luckly, unlike last year, none of them are on my insects. I usually see them on the tops of the inclosure or on food. 

Anyways, Inky for the past week has slowly stopped moving and eating. She pretty much looks dead, not moving at all. She keeps her head tucked non stop. She still turns dark when I spray her enclosure down. She did appear to eat at her jelly today, so she moved a little. Just earlier I went to observe her(I really need to stop handling her) and brushed off 2 fruit fly larvae off her! There was one in her mouth! I've also found a few yellow mites on her. These are not grain mites as they move quickly and look more like a species of hitch hike mite, I've seen these on beetles before, my rainbow dung beetles I got from Bugs In Cyberspace had these too.  But I could be wrong. If anyone knows what types of mites these are, please tell.

So does Inky have an illness? I feel compelled to help Inky if there is a way I can. Or should I just leave her alone and let nature take it's course? I hope my discription of the mites is enough, as I cannot take pictures, they're simply too tiny. I need to know if they are parasitic to protect my other insects.

Thanks for any help!

 
Oh yes, I won't! She did not move any yesterday and is still in the same pose. I'm not sure if I can confirm her dead though, as she still turns dark when I spray her enclosure down. Is it natural for the shells to continue turning colors when dead?

 
Bugoodle said:
Oh yes, I won't! She did not move any yesterday and is still in the same pose. I'm not sure if I can confirm her dead though, as she still turns dark when I spray her enclosure down. Is it natural for the shells to continue turning colors when dead?
Click to expand...
Yes, my flowers beetle specimens change colors when I try to thaw them.
I would wait another day or two.

 
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Thank you. Quess I won't be able to cast her in resin. Darn.

But, she died. Not moving at all. I picked her up yesterday and sniffed her, and she's already producing that decay smell. 😞  RIP, Inky. You were a cool beautiful beetle. 1 year and 7 months! I never had expect that! Has anyone ever had a Harliquin flower beetle that long or longer?

 
  • Bugoodle said:
    Thank you. Quess I won't be able to cast her in resin. Darn.

    But, she died. Not moving at all. I picked her up yesterday and sniffed her, and she's already producing that decay smell. 😞  RIP, Inky. You were a cool beautiful beetle. 1 year and 7 months! I never had expect that! Has anyone ever had a Harliquin flower beetle that long or longer?
    Click to expand...
    That’s a long time man, might even be world record! I have never, ever had one live that long.
 
My niece's sugarcane beetle(Euetheola humilis) who went by the name "Sugar" just past away last month. Wild caught as adult, she owned him for 1 year and 2 months! I had no clue they lived that long! She misses him so much. My neice needs to get ready for more bug deaths, all of her insects are getting old, and there are some who have passed on. Poor girl. I wonder how much longer my Rainbow Dung Beetle I got from BugsInCyberSpace last year will live. In march it'll be a year I've owned her.

 
Just explain to her that these creatures do not have a long lifespan. Perhaps you guys can get into pinning and framing the dried specimens. Would be pretty cool!

 
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