Pyrophorus noctilucus

[Hisserdude]

This generation's looking quite secure, some excess too!

 

[FirFauna]

Ah, these are my all time favorites

 

[Spyro]

I saw these when I was in Costa Rica! So cool! What do the larvae eat? 

 

[Acro]

These are native to Florida (or a similar species) and I used to see them (and catch them) in Miami.  I never tired to keep them. 

There used to be so many, it would look like Christmas lights in the trees.  Over the years less and less would show up.  I wonder if they can still be found out there anymore . . .

 

[Lucanus]

These are native to Florida (or a similar species) and I used to see them (and catch them) in Miami.  I never tired to keep them. 

There used to be so many, it would look like Christmas lights in the trees.  Over the years less and less would show up.  I wonder if they can still be found out there anymore . . .

The ones in Miami are Ignelater havaniensis, very similar in shape and size as these south american cousin but no one has cultured them yet  

I suspect their care won't be different from Pyrophorus....

 

[Hisserdude]

I saw these when I was in Costa Rica! So cool! What do the larvae eat? 

Larvae are predatory and will feed on dog food and live invertebrates. Adults feed on fruits. 

These are native to Florida (or a similar species) and I used to see them (and catch them) in Miami.  I never tired to keep them. 

There used to be so many, it would look like Christmas lights in the trees.  Over the years less and less would show up.  I wonder if they can still be found out there anymore . . .

Like @Lucanus said, those are probably Ignelater havenensis, nice find, been wanting to try my hand at culturing that species... Should be identical in care to Pyrophorus, so far the two Deilelater spp. I got from @Lucanus have been at least.

 

[Hisserdude]

The last two larvae from the group of seven I received last year finally matured a month or so ago, and they are massive compared to the other five that pupated prematurely due to heat stress. Sadly I'm pretty sure it's a unisex pair, so no offspring from these two, but their five siblings produced a ton of larvae last year, so I'm not complaining.

Here are some pics of one of the two: