Any longhorn fan out there?

[joonwoosung]

It seems like everyone is interested in dynastidae or lucanidae

 

Here's my prioninae +70MM from Solomon Islands and Dynastes hercules lichyi +154MM from Ecuador.

 

 

[Mashku]

Yes of course, Cerambycidae are beautys too.

 

Long time ago i get some Petrognatha gigas.

 

Found this little guy at thailand : Gerania bosci bosci

 

next time i post some dry pics.

 

greetings,

Mashku.

[joonwoosung]

Very nice! Alive Petrognatha gigas??

 

Are they from Togo? Very interesting

Joon

[LarvaHunter]

Longhorns are cool, I don't like their ability to bite you though. What do you feed yours? I have tried keeping 2 types but failed.

[wizentrop]

I used to breed Batocera rufomaculata (feeding on fig trees) when I was in Israel. Nice chunky species. Unfortunately, they are a serious pest so I do not see them becoming a part of the beetle hobby in the future. Especially not in North America.

 

From some reason I cannot find a photo of the adult in my files. But here is a pupa.

[Markelangelo]

I caught 7 Crossidius coralinus that I want to try rearing! Ill post a picture later today. What's the best way to feed them or try to get them to lay eggs? They've been mating like crazy, so hopefully I can get some soon!

[wizentrop]

You will need their foodplant (I know of Ericamera nauseosa, but other Asteraceae might work too), and you will have to keep it fresh (maybe potted or in water). The longhorn beetles inject eggs into the stems tissue (and in wood-boring species - under the bark). I do not know this species very well but I have a feeling the larvae bore into the thick stems at the base of the bush, maybe even into the thick roots close to the base, and later pupate in them.

[pannaking22]

Awesome pupa! What other species were you coming across? I have a couple longhorn grubs now that I'm hoping to have some success rearing out.

[wizentrop]

Are you sure they are longhorn larvae? Cerambycids have a uniquely shaped, long and legless larvae - not a grub.

I get to see many beetle species as a part of my work, not only longhorn beetles. I might start a thread about breeding some of them in the future.
In the meantime, here are two longhorns from my recent trip to Central America:

Male Taeniotes scalatus fighting

Male Callipogon barbatus. Looks very much like a stag beetle with those enormous mandibles.

[Bill Myers]

[...]

I get to see many beetle species as a part of my work, not only longhorn beetles. I might start a thread about breeding some of them in the future.

[...]

 

 

I was just wondering if you had any info on raising Cottonwood Borers? I'm thinking of raising some. My neighbor has a couple of trees that are, in his words, "infested." And, naturally, he's wanting to spray the trees with insecticide, but I'm trying my best to hold him off until I can remove some of the larvae and raise them.

 

Cheers

[pannaking22]

Are you sure they are longhorn larvae? Cerambycids have a uniquely shaped, long and legless larvae - not a grub.

 

 

Sorry, that was poor word choice on my part. Definitely not a scarabeiform larva. It's a typical cerambycid larva.

 

 

I was just wondering if you had any info on raising Cottonwood Borers? I'm thinking of raising some. My neighbor has a couple of trees that are, in his words, "infested." And, naturally, he's wanting to spray the trees with insecticide, but I'm trying my best to hold him off until I can remove some of the larvae and raise them.

 

Cheers

 

Good luck, that would be awesome if you could rear some out!

[wizentrop]

 

I was just wondering if you had any info on raising Cottonwood Borers? I'm thinking of raising some. My neighbor has a couple of trees that are, in his words, "infested." And, naturally, he's wanting to spray the trees with insecticide, but I'm trying my best to hold him off until I can remove some of the larvae and raise them.

 

Cheers

 

Cottonwood borers are indeed impressive beetles! Love their color.

I do not have experience with keeping this species. The main issue with keeping their larvae in captivity is providing them the proper food - they need the live tree to feed on. Most longhorn beetles of this type feed on the phloem under the bark, and they will not accept a dead/rotting wood. This can sometimes be solved if the tree roots easily from cuttings, then you just put a piece of thick branch in a moist jar (with moist sawdust) then it roots even while the larva feeds on it. This is possible with fig and ficus trees for example. I am not sure if this is possible with Cottonwood - but you might want to try.

[Bill Myers]

Cottonwood borers are indeed impressive beetles! Love their color.

I do not have experience with keeping this species. The main issue with keeping their larvae in captivity is providing them the proper food - they need the live tree to feed on. Most longhorn beetles of this type feed on the phloem under the bark, and they will not accept a dead/rotting wood. This can sometimes be solved if the tree roots easily from cuttings, then you just put a piece of thick branch in a moist jar (with moist sawdust) then it roots even while the larva feeds on it. This is possible with fig and ficus trees for example. I am not sure if this is possible with Cottonwood - but you might want to try.

 

Thank you for the suggestion, Wizentrop. I'll give it a try and see what happens.

 

Cheers

[Satanas]

Are you sure they are longhorn larvae? Cerambycids have a uniquely shaped, long and legless larvae - not a grub.

 

I get to see many beetle species as a part of my work, not only longhorn beetles. I might start a thread about breeding some of them in the future.

In the meantime, here are two longhorns from my recent trip to Central America:

 

Male Taeniotes scalatus fighting

Male Callipogon barbatus. Looks very much like a stag beetle with those enormous mandibles.

 

 

Are you sure they are longhorn larvae? Cerambycids have a uniquely shaped, long and legless larvae - not a grub.

 

I get to see many beetle species as a part of my work, not only longhorn beetles. I might start a thread about breeding some of them in the future.

In the meantime, here are two longhorns from my recent trip to Central America:

 

Male Taeniotes scalatus fighting

Male Callipogon barbatus. Looks very much like a stag beetle with those enormous mandibles.

do you have live barbatus?

[wizentrop]

HA HA, no.
No, I would not even try to bring those beetle alive into North America. As longhorn beetles they are specifically targeted by the CFIA and the USDA as potential crop pests. And for a good reason too - such big beetles can probably cause substantial damage to trees. They were nice to observe in the wild, but I do not think they will ever enter the hobby. Unless you have a huge ceiba tree in your backyard that you are trying to get rid of.
I think the best way to start keeping longhorn beetles is to go for local species. Once you have mastered their breeding, then maybe try to aim for the more exotic ones, but still they will be hard to get.

[Satanas]

i thought longhorns mostly fed on rotting wood?

[wizentrop]

That is a common misconception. Many species attack the root system or stems of live plants, sometimes trees. When attacking already weak bushes and trees they can eventually cause their death. Only certain tribes within Cerambycidae feed on rotting wood. Not surprisingly, these species are very similar in appearance to stag beetles and Dynastids, reaching an impressive size, and therefore are sought after by hobbists.

[Satanas]

oh ok, so i would need a live system for these?

[Bill Myers]

Cottonwood borers are indeed impressive beetles! Love their color.

I do not have experience with keeping this species. The main issue with keeping their larvae in captivity is providing them the proper food - they need the live tree to feed on. Most longhorn beetles of this type feed on the phloem under the bark, and they will not accept a dead/rotting wood. This can sometimes be solved if the tree roots easily from cuttings, then you just put a piece of thick branch in a moist jar (with moist sawdust) then it roots even while the larva feeds on it. This is possible with fig and ficus trees for example. I am not sure if this is possible with Cottonwood - but you might want to try.

 

Alright, I've done the research. Cottonwood trees can be propagated via clippings.

 

So, yesterday, I went over to my neighbor's house and, with his permission, I cut 10 newer shoots from his cottonwood trees. The clippings are about 6 to 8 inches long.

 

I then made a soil mixture of sand, potting soil, and cow manure compost. Sorry, I really didn't measure anything out, so I don't have the exact ratios. I kind of played around with the soil, sand, and compost mix until I achieved the look and feel as if the soil had come from an area somewhat near the bank of a creek.

 

Then, I poured my soil mixture into some 4 inch deep clay pots my wife had laying around.

 

Next, I took the clippings and made splits with a sharp knife on all of the basal ends (the ends which will eventually be the roots). Basically, the splits are made by cutting the basal end flat, then making a 3/4" deep X cut on the basal ends so that you can splay that section apart. You then keep it splayed open by cramming a small pebble into the center of the X. This gives the clipping more surface area to develop roots.

 

After that, I dipped the basal ends into a dry growth hormone powder---I used Miraclegro Fastroot from Lowe's Hardware Store (basically, anything with Indole-3-butyric acid should work).

 

I then took the clippings and planted the treated basal ends into individual clay pots containing my soil mix, sticking the clippings about 2 inches down into the mix.

 

Finally, I watered the soil. Now, it's a waiting game.

 

If everything works out, I guess I should see some roots forming in a few weeks.

 

Once the roots get established, I'll have to buy some larger pots and transfer the clippings before they get too root-bound.

 

I'm thinking I'm going to have to figure out how to contain the roots once the trees get larger. From what I can tell by looking at my neighbor's trees, the root system is massive on these cottonwoods!

 

Maybe I need to look into some sort of "Bonsai'd" poplar or willow tree...

 

Cheers