What is Flake soil and Kinshi?

BensBeasts1

BensBeasts1

Cerambycidae
This might be a noob question but what is flake soil, how do you make it and do I need it for stags? Also what is Kinshi, I have heard of it but I don't know what it is?

 
This might be a noob question but what is flake soil,

Raw hardwood sawdust that's been rapidly decomposed via fermentation into a form that beetle larvae can eat.

how do you make it

In short - by mixing sawdust, water, a carbohydrate "fuel" such as wheat flour, and a microbial starter together at the right ratio, and then rotating it on a regular basis until the process completes.  Heat is needed for it to work.

and do I need it for stags?

It's used for rearing certain kinds of stags, though not all.  You wouldn't need it for Lucanus elaphus, for example.

Also what is Kinshi, I have heard of it but I don't know what it is?

Raw hardwood sawdust that's been colonized by the mycelia of certain kinds of mushroom fungi.  It's used for some species of stags, but not for rearing Dynastinae or Cetoniinae.  However, "spent" (that is, kinshi that's already been used for rearing stags) can be used as a component of substrate for Dynastinae and Cetoniinae, if it's adequately decomposed.

 
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Thank you for the information, I am sure glad I don't need it for Lucanus elaphus. I watched a video where someone made flake soil with a cement mixer. I don't know where I would find 1 around me.

 
Thank you for the information, I am sure glad I don't need it for Lucanus elaphus.

I know for a fact that you can rear elaphus on flake soil - I've grown some huge males on it.

I watched a video where someone made flake soil with a cement mixer. I don't know where I would find 1 around me.

I assume you mean one of these - 
41MLZMBS0YL._SL250_.jpg


and not one of these?! - 

cement-truck.jpg


 
You don't need a cement mixer to make flake soil, it is just an easy way to make it. A breathable bag or a plastic tub can be used. There are many videos of how to make it and many ways to make it. Ratmosphere's video is quite popular here. Goliathus gave you a good explanation in this subject - but to add on to that... The flour actually serves dual purpose, it serves as a carbohydrate source (like Goliathus stated) to be a quick fuel/carbon source for bacteria, but it also serves as a nitrogen source. Bacteria love nitrogen, but require carbon to utilize it for their functions, thus it promotes the breakdown of the complex carbon compounds found in sawdust like lignin. If you want to read more you can read articles like this one

https://beetleguide.wordpress.com/substrate/

 
True - my response was meant only to describe what flake soil is, rather than how to make it, and there are plenty of instructions online about how to do that.  There are quite a few posts regarding flake soil on this forum alone.  While it's not difficult to set up, I think the aspect where some people experience trouble is inadequate heat, and not enough air circulation through the mixture.  If those two factors aren't kept within a certain range, it's difficult to even get fermentation started.  Also, the frequency of the mixture's rotation definitely makes a difference in how fast the process completes.

 
Goliathus said:
True - my response was meant only to describe what flake soil is, rather than how to make it, and there are plenty of instructions online about how to do that.  There are quite a few posts regarding flake soil on this forum alone.  While it's not difficult to set up, I think the aspect where some people experience trouble is inadequate heat, and not enough air circulation through the mixture.  If those two factors aren't kept within a certain range, it's difficult to even get fermentation started.  Also, the frequency of the mixture's rotation definitely makes a difference in how fast the process completes.
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Very true. The heat is one of the biggest issue. This is why I stress that people should make most of their flake soil now during the summer. If you were to start making it during the winter, you'd have to wait several months for even a slightly decayed flake soil mix. The rotation is a tricky subject, as depending on the method, rotating your substrate more leads to heat loss. That is why something like a compost tumbler or cement roller is ideal.

 
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