Shape of Cerambycidae Pupal Cells

The Mantis Menagerie

The Mantis Menagerie

Fresh Imago
I have been raising this larva in rotten wood for a few months, and I found it has pupated. Its pupal cell that it constructed did not look like a cell at all. I had not been expecting pupation, so it was just in regular substrate. I have read that artificial cells can be made with floral foam in a shape that allowed the pupae to properly eclose. Does anyone know what shape is good for a cerambicid? 

Also, we need to be allowed to upload bigger files in our threads. I tried to upload a picture of my pupa, but my new phone takes pictures that are way too big for this forum. 

 
You have to share the picture(s) to your email, then before sending them to yourself adjust the picture size to small...after recieving said email just save the adjusted picture(s) to your phone. That's how i got it to work with my newer phone, hope this helps!

 
A typical oval shape used for most beetles will probably do just fine. Floral foam is a good way to go about it just dont over saturate it to prevent mold growth from rotting the pupae...also be sure to pad down and remove as much of the excess foam dust as possible. Dust can stick to a pupae and cause deformities later on. Wet paper towels and or peat pots work great as well...whatever you choose just make sure the size of the chamber isn't too wide as you want the beetle to be able to flip back over. Length doesn't really matter much so long as the walls aren't physically touching the the pupae. 

Best of luck! 

 
Alex Shaffer said:
A typical oval shape used for most beetles will probably do just fine. Floral foam is a good way to go about it just dont over saturate it to prevent mold growth from rotting the pupae...also be sure to pad down and remove as much of the excess foam dust as possible. Dust can stick to a pupae and cause deformities later on. Wet paper towels and or peat pots work great as well...whatever you choose just make sure the size of the chamber isn't too wide as you want the beetle to be able to flip back over. Length doesn't really matter much so long as the walls aren't physically touching the the pupae. 

Best of luck! 
Click to expand...
Does this look good? 

41742FB9-4ED4-417B-9B81-7E028E98D330.jpeg

 
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Like click beetles, longhorns don’t really require a particular shape, but their pupal cell is shaped like a very thin oval that can be recreated with paper towels. Just make sure the bottom is rounded like a tube and it’ll work

 
If anything I'd say the one you have is way too wide. Just wider than the pupae itself with a rounded bottom like bugboy mentioned will do just fine. Want to make sure the beetle can flip back over when needed.

 
The Mantis Menagerie said:
Does this look good? 

View attachment 1443
Click to expand...
Pupal cells of Cerambycids are a lot slimmer than scarab beetles. It is SO slim and tight only a pupa can be stored there and nothing else! Imaged pupal cell is TOO large, however, I don't think it would matter for the beetle. I'm pretty sure it is okay to keep it that way. Beetle will emerge, but may be deformed IF the beetle cannot flip and turn himself over and such. Won't be much of an issue.

 
So, despite me forgetting to make a new foam cell, my beetle emerged perfectly. I plant to release it after getting some good pictures. 

9C087C19-44BC-41A3-A8CA-B0C2677B4A1F.jpeg

 
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Hoolia said:
Woah! Definitely post more pics when it hardens up all the way and everything! How long was it a pupa?
Click to expand...
I first noticed the pupa and recorded its pupation on 4/14. It likely pupated earlier than that as I was not checking on these larvae very often. I posted when I noticed it had emerged. 

 
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