Thanks and Fun Questions

[PowerHobo]

I've been lurking on here for a while as a guest, and posting here a lot since I joined up. As an adult who's not super hip to finding information on the internet trying to pick back up a hobby that I haven't dabbled in since I was a kid, and even then not seriously at all, this forum has been amazing. The reason this forum is amazing is its members, and I wanted to just take a moment to say: thank you, members of BeetleForum, for being so welcoming, informative, and helpful.

I also just wanted to open this up to some sillier questions and curiosities that aren't really related to needing help. Please feel free add and answer!

I'll kick it off with one I've been wondering: what species has the bitey-est larvae from your experiences?

For me, it's Chrysina gloriosa. Mine are certifiable a-holes. Where as my other scarab larvae will curl up defensively when touched, my C gloriosa immediately turn and try to bite. In fact, I kind of hate digging through their substrate to check on them and/or refresh every few weeks, because it's not at all uncommon for me to find them by getting bitten. They don't draw blood, but they just give a pretty good pinch and hang on.

 

[Pewrune]

Chalcosoma caucasus and Goliathus goliatus.

Cheirotonus is interesting too, they would curl up in the corner and shoot out a lot of poop.

 

[AlexW]

Economically/conservationally unimportant (ones that are not tarantulas, aphids, centipedes, ladybeetles, Monarchs, house-dwelling roaches, etc) insects are so ridiculously understudied that it's a wonder Beetleforum exists at all.

Ever wanted to break a world record? It's ridiculously easy here. You can be the first-ever photographer of certain widespread species' larvae/pupae on the Internet! I'm serious.

I've barely raised any larvae, so I can't answer you. However, I will list some of my more hilarious experiences:

- I was in the middle of a cartoonish and absurd dream when something like the following took place:

"Breadfruit-grass is a member of the Solanaceae (a real plant family including deadly nightshade, tomato, and potato, which all have potent chemical defenses). Thus, its only edible part is the fruit."

Wow, all that insect taxonomy must really have been percolating into the corners of my brain. I can barely identify the local weeds beyond dandelion!

- One night a few years ago, I was lugging back a cupful of captured butterflies (likely Urbanus dorantes or a close relative). As I went down the elevator, the person next to me said something like "Ew, what are those?" I can't remember whether I gave an answer, but I do remember thinking about psychology:

Most people like butterflies.

Urbanus species are brown.

Brown butterflies look like moths to the average person.

To the average person, stereotypical butterflies are beautiful things, but moths are nasty, fluttery abominations (I have even seen this kind of thinking directed at an exotic saturniid, which had bright colors, elegant tails, and the same proportions as a butterfly).

Hilarious.