U.S Darkling Beetle Breeders

[All About Arthropods]

Hey!

I know at least @Hisserdude, @Dynastes, @davehuth, and myself regularly breed Tenebrionid (Darkling) beetles, but I was curious - who else in the U.S is out there culturing these uncommonly cultured organisms as well?

To Darklings and beyond,

Joshua

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I am trying to learn about Penthe sp right now. I have raised Alobates, but only from a large larvae. I have yet to raise any through a full generation. I also just started with some Eleodes larvae from a tank with several species at a museum. 

 

[MasterOogway]

I breed a lot of Eleodes here for display specimens; I have some Asbolus projects going on as well trying various methods to induce pupation.  

 

[All About Arthropods]

I am trying to learn about Penthe sp right now. I have raised Alobates, but only from a large larvae. I have yet to raise any through a full generation. I also just started with some Eleodes larvae from a tank with several species at a museum. 

Alobates is definitely something I'd like to see people start culturing in the hobby; I remember when I first saw one locally and was amazed that darklings of this size resided so close by! Quite interesting. Do you know what species in particular they have a possibility to be?

I breed a lot of Eleodes here for display specimens; I have some Asbolus projects going on as well trying various methods to induce pupation.  

Very impressive; I love Eleodes! Any mentionable species? Much success with those Asbolus experiments. 

 

[Dynastes]

I breed a lot of Eleodes here for display specimens; I have some Asbolus projects going on as well trying various methods to induce pupation.  

Which species of Eleodes do you breed?

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Do you know what species in particular they have a possibility to be

It is just the common A. pennsylvanica. 

 

[I Fox]

I try to breed any teneb species I come across, and so far have had luck with Eleodes longicollis, E. suturalis, E. tricostata, Bothrotes sp., Eusattus reticulatus, Blapstinus fortis, B. prattensis and varying degrees of success with Stenomorpha polita, S. opaca, S. convexa, and S. convexicollis.

 

[All About Arthropods]

I try to breed any teneb species I come across, and so far have had luck with Eleodes longicollis, E. suturalis, E. tricostata, Bothrotes sp., Eusattus reticulatus, Blapstinus fortis, B. prattensis and varying degrees of success with Stenomorpha polita, S. opaca, S. convexa, and S. convexicollis.

Magnificent!  Do you still breed any of those species currently?

May I ask what methods you used with the Stenomorpha? I've never heard of others really even being remotely successful with theirs. 

It is just the common A. pennsylvanica. 

Oh, I meant the larvae you got from the museum. lol

 

[I Fox]

Magnificent!  Do you still breed any of those species currently?

May I ask what methods you used with the Stenomorpha? I've never heard of others really even being remotely successful with theirs. 

unfortunately most of mine died during a recent move. I managed to collect a few more in October (Eusattus, both Blapstinus, S. convexicollis, S. polita), but I'm not sure if I got any larvae.

All the Stenomorpha I've kept so far have done well on a very dry, clay-based substrate with a moist corner. I've also had limited success with very dry coconut fiber for S. polita and S. opaca.

Unfortunately the methods I've used still need some work (I've observed egg-laying but no larvae on several of the Stenomorpha I've kept) I think I'm getting close to the right setup though.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Oh, I meant the larvae you got from the museum. lol

They were from a tank with a number of species, so until they mature, I do not know which species exactly. 

 

[davehuth]

Thanks for tagging me @All About Arthropods. You and others here have helped bring several cool lines of Tenebrionidae into my life. 

This family of beetles has really captured my affections, and I have numerous projects going in my bug room. I was hooked by native desert species, because of their ease and antics. It's mostly the usual suspects (various Eleodes, Cryptglossa, Asbolus).

In the past couple years I've also become interested in some of the locals in my area of western NY state. Bolitotherus have been very fun, and my colony is 18+ months old. I also have a group of Alobates producing larvae (some pics in another thread).  This past summer I was amazed to collect a group of beetles that look to me like Tenebrio molitor, though I'd never encountered them out in the wild before. I have them reproducing in a deli cup just to see how a colony of wild collected might behave. 

I also have a crush on the related ironclad beetles (Zopheridae), so I have enclosures of Phloeodes from out west, and some locally collected Phellopsis obcordata living on bracket fungi since May 2019. Neither have reproduced as far as I can tell, though I'm hopeful about the Phellopsis. My grand Zopherus nodulosus haldemani experiment seems to be a bust after several months, Unless there are secret eggs/larvae hiding out in their enclosure, which I haven't touched since the beetles expired.

@I Fox, like others I think it's great that you've worked with a wider range of genera. The first darkling I ever saw was on a hike in San Diego (maybe Stenomorpha?) which is my beetleforum profile image. I've long wanted to learn more about the rounder, rougher chunkies.

 

[davehuth]

I am trying to learn about Penthe sp right now. I have raised Alobates, but only from a large larvae. I have yet to raise any through a full generation. I also just started with some Eleodes larvae from a tank with several species at a museum. 

I had high hopes for a group of about 9 Penthe beetles I collected in spring 2019, but they all expired in several weeks, without passing on their genes. They were tough to feed, mostly they just stopped eating after a few days. 

 

[I Fox]

@I Fox, like others I think it's great that you've worked with a wider range of genera. The first darkling I ever saw was on a hike in San Diego (maybe Stenomorpha?) which is my beetleforum profile image. I've long wanted to learn more about the rounder, rougher chunkies.

@davehuth, thanks, it's really fun to experiment with the care on these, btw. the one in your profile image is Microschatia inaequalis, another Asidini closely related to Stenomorpha, probably not very easy to culture though.

 

[davehuth]

Microschatia inaequalis, another Asidini closely related to Stenomorpha

@I Fox thanks so much for identifying this beetle for me! 

 

[I Fox]

@davehuth you're welcome

 

[pannaking22]

I'm working with a couple Eleodes species right now (waiting for one of each species to kick it so I can confirm IDs) and am hoping to try Triorophus and some other Eleodes species this year. Maybe Helops farctus as well if I can find enough. Really any teneb I find this year will have potential.

 

[All About Arthropods]

unfortunately most of mine died during a recent move. I managed to collect a few more in October (Eusattus, both Blapstinus, S. convexicollis, S. polita), but I'm not sure if I got any larvae.

All the Stenomorpha I've kept so far have done well on a very dry, clay-based substrate with a moist corner. I've also had limited success with very dry coconut fiber for S. polita and S. opaca.

Unfortunately the methods I've used still need some work (I've observed egg-laying but no larvae on several of the Stenomorpha I've kept) I think I'm getting close to the right setup though.

That sucks. Hopefully you can get a wide variety of species breeding again here soon!

Interesting; thanks for the info! Fingers crossed you can eventually rear them through the whole life cycle. 

They were from a tank with a number of species, so until they mature, I do not know which species exactly. 

Gotcha.

Thanks for tagging me @All About Arthropods. You and others here have helped bring several cool lines of Tenebrionidae into my life. 

This family of beetles has really captured my affections, and I have numerous projects going in my bug room. I was hooked by native desert species, because of their ease and antics. It's mostly the usual suspects (various Eleodes, Cryptglossa, Asbolus).

In the past couple years I've also become interested in some of the locals in my area of western NY state. Bolitotherus have been very fun, and my colony is 18+ months old. I also have a group of Alobates producing larvae (some pics in another thread).  This past summer I was amazed to collect a group of beetles that look to me like Tenebrio molitor, though I'd never encountered them out in the wild before. I have them reproducing in a deli cup just to see how a colony of wild collected might behave. 

I also have a crush on the related ironclad beetles (Zopheridae), so I have enclosures of Phloeodes from out west, and some locally collected Phellopsis obcordata living on bracket fungi since May 2019. Neither have reproduced as far as I can tell, though I'm hopeful about the Phellopsis. My grand Zopherus nodulosus haldemani experiment seems to be a bust after several months, Unless there are secret eggs/larvae hiding out in their enclosure, which I haven't touched since the beetles expired.

@I Fox, like others I think it's great that you've worked with a wider range of genera. The first darkling I ever saw was on a hike in San Diego (maybe Stenomorpha?) which is my beetleforum profile image. I've long wanted to learn more about the rounder, rougher chunkies.

View attachment 1639

Glad to see you've gotten so enthused by them!

I'm working with a couple Eleodes species right now (waiting for one of each species to kick it so I can confirm IDs) and am hoping to try Triorophus and some other Eleodes species this year. Maybe Helops farctus as well if I can find enough. Really any teneb I find this year will have potential.

Awesome! I've been hoping Triorophus would join captive culture ever since I first saw them on Bugguide. TX has some of the neatest darklings in the U.S; it'd be superb to hear about whatever you end up collecting and breeding down the line.

 

[MasterOogway]

Which species of Eleodes do you breed?

Sorry, I think I probably was unclear. I breed a lot of a single species of Eleodes  (not as exciting, I realize); I suspect E. longicollis, but ID'ng Eleodes is not my strong suit.  

 

[Dynastes]

Sorry, I think I probably was unclear. I breed a lot of a single species of Eleodes  (not as exciting, I realize); I suspect E. longicollis, but ID'ng Eleodes is not my strong suit.  

Do you have some pictures of your Eleodes?