GeneralZero Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 So went to the park today with my girlfriend to walk a lot instead of going to the gym and to enjoy the scenery as well. Obviously I brought my backpack in case I found some decent usable wood for substrate. Well I found a huge oak tree knocked down and a huge majority is rotted and fresh and white also, I think I found like 4-5 darkling beetle larvae. (correct me if I'm wrong) posting some pictures to go along as well. I have a good couple of days of as well and will probably visit the park again this week and will be very busy producing a large amount of substrate to store. I apologize for the poor quality photos my smart phone camera isn't that great. Especially with close up shots and macro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.ojala Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 That looks like a click beetle larvae to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 ah so that's what it is!! I suppose so, actually makes sense I saw a lot of those in there. I was hoping to find lucanus but they seem to be deep in the wood and I only took the surface and dug a little in but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardshell Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 nice!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 You have found a darkling beetle larvae. It's hard to tell by the blurry picture but it appears to be a species in genus Centronopus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Thanks Hardshell! and oh I have? Cool! I've never seen them before they were pretty neat. I didn't collect them though as I tend to like Dynastes more. I'm hoping I can return this week to dig through a large portion of that tree to see what I may find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Minard Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 You won't find Dynastes unless you search in tree cavities at the bases of trees that are dead (or dying). Sort of... between the roots. I learned this from collecting with Lucanus. I later on found some Dynastes larvae myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Really??? Ah good to know! I've seen a couple of dead stumps around there as well I should check those to see if there are some there...why do they stay there Ryan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 It can be explained in one sentence. "This is nature!" LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Well besides that haha. What advantages do they have? Is it because the female feels it is safe? Or is it the nutrition of the rotting tree and soil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Okay so went today to look through a few cavities, but the rain was a bit much so going to wait until it is dry out. Any suggestions or tips and how far do you dig down??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Well besides that haha. What advantages do they have? Is it because the female feels it is safe? Or is it the nutrition of the rotting tree and soil? The soil that gets collected inside the tree cavity consists of rich soil which is an excellent food for larvae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Okay so went today to look through a few cavities, but the rain was a bit much so going to wait until it is dry out. Any suggestions or tips and how far do you dig down??? I usually had to dig for only about an inch or two before I discovered the beetles Larvae tend to stay deeper. The ones where D. tityus are living should have huge fecal pellets inside. So you should look for fecal pellets when you are searching inside tree cavities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Makes sense..I did try to keep an eye out for the pellets, but again the rain made it difficult since it all seemed muddy. I will try again on a sunny day this week to see if that gives out any results. Though five in one cavity is awesome, I'll be lucky to find one! Also, how long did you search for?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Also, how long did you search for?? Could you clarify this? Do you mean how long it took for me to find the suitable trees or do you mean how long it took me to extract beetles out of tree cavity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Oh and here is a picture of the tree cavity where I found my D. tityus. It was originally sealed so the rain didn't get in much, but I destroyed the top part. Inside of the tree cavity. You can see fecal pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Oh I am sorry I meant how long it took you to find a suitable tree! Also would you kindly re-post the images? They aren't appearing it's showing them as broken links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardshell Posted February 12, 2013 Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 i cant even find any rotten pine or rotten alders.... time to move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 Haha that's not good move to AZ to collect some Granti!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Oh I am sorry I meant how long it took you to find a suitable tree! Also would you kindly re-post the images? They aren't appearing it's showing them as broken links. Ooh...I was hoping it would work.. Here is a re-post Finding a suitable tree depends on your luck. I usually run across them while I am collecting in forest. It usually takes me few hours to find suitable tree but it can take days and nights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralZero Posted February 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Thank-you Lucanus! That helps a lot I went looking for about an hour and a half yesterday near this museum park trail, but had no luck. I'm going to try going again tomorrow and Friday and I am hoping to at least find one. I'm so envious of your luck! I can barely find a male and a female let alone together! I will investigate every tree though just to ensure I have a chance. That's an oak tree correct? Do you also live in SC? I live in NC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynastes Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I can't make out the larvae but they are more likely to be click beetles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Thank-you Lucanus! That helps a lot I went looking for about an hour and a half yesterday near this museum park trail, but had no luck. I'm going to try going again tomorrow and Friday and I am hoping to at least find one. I'm so envious of your luck! I can barely find a male and a female let alone together! I will investigate every tree though just to ensure I have a chance. That's an oak tree correct? Do you also live in SC? I live in NC. Hope you find as many as you want The tree in the pic. is Oak, and I live in AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Minard Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Thank-you Lucanus! That helps a lot I went looking for about an hour and a half yesterday near this museum park trail, but had no luck. I'm going to try going again tomorrow and Friday and I am hoping to at least find one. I'm so envious of your luck! I can barely find a male and a female let alone together! I will investigate every tree though just to ensure I have a chance. That's an oak tree correct? Do you also live in SC? I live in NC. No... I live in SC though. Upstate. What part of NC you live in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Minard Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 It can be explained in one sentence. "This is nature!" LOL Breeding is a fun... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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