Is my Lucanus elaphus in prepupation?

Ayudrs

Ayudrs

L3
This is my beetle baby, his name is Elmer and he is a L3 Lucanus elaphus purchased from USBeetles and received at the end of September. Since around the start of December I noticed he constructed what looked to be a pupa chamber to me. This was a surprise since I was assuming they go up for sale once they become L3, and I've heard L3 lasts at least 6 months. But now in December he's doing this. He's been here for over a week in what I can assume is emptying his gut for preparation. But if anyone is more familiar with Beetle prepupation please let me know! I hope he is okay 😥

I hope my photo upload, I can't tell if it has.

 
I think he means that the term "prepupation" is when they stop moving altogether to prepare for their final molt. Yours is still in the process of creating its pupal chamber and hasn't gone dormant yet, so it could still rebuild it if necessary. Prepupae won't be able to.

 
Ayudrs said:
Ah I see, thank you very much for the response. I guess I considered it prepupation because well... he's "preparing" to pupat.
Click to expand...
He's been preparing to pupate since the day he hatched, but prepupa is normally the immobile stage when they can't use their legs anymore.

 
Your elaphus is getting ready to pupate. I also got a few elaphus from USbeetles in September, now they all have a more yellowish color and looks like they will pupate soon

3777218C-BF1B-422E-B72E-DEE083F88A6C.jpeg

 
ypli said:
Your elaphus is getting ready to pupate. I also got a few elaphus from USbeetles in September, now they all have a more yellowish color and looks like they will pupate soon

View attachment 2537
Click to expand...
Oh thank you, good to hear from someone that bought them around the same time. And did you buy all of them lol? I remember there being 8 in stock for a whole week when I was planning on buying one. I bought one male, and a few days later they were out of stock lol.

 
Ayudrs said:
Oh thank you, good to hear from someone that bought them around the same time. And did you buy all of them lol? I remember there being 8 in stock for a whole week when I was planning on buying one. I bought one male, and a few days later they were out of stock lol.
Click to expand...
When I checked they only had 4 left so I got all 4 of them. Have you ever weighed your grub? I heard they can usually reach 10g in late L3 but mine are not even near that weight lol

 
ypli said:
When I checked they only had 4 left so I got all 4 of them. Have you ever weighed your grub? I heard they can usually reach 10g in late L3 but mine are not even near that weight lol
Click to expand...
Well I'm just glad I was able to get one at L3. But no, I think I'm too early into Beetle raising to be to worried about weight and rearing the largest beetles I can. But I doubt my Elmer was close to 10g. I have high hopes for another Elaphus I got from David's Beetles. They were a teeny tiny L1 at the start of October, but now I think they are almost as big as Elmer was before he started his pupa chamber 0.0, maybe I can try weighing them if I ever buy a gram scale.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top