Beet&Stag Buster Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 Can firewood be used to make substrate? Any manufacturers that are additive-free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 Local firewood is probably safe to use, anything else probably has flammable additives. I'm no expert on firewood however, so you should probably wait for a more experienced member to come along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratmosphere Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 If there's no chemicals added to it then go ahead. You are going to need a log with significant decay if you want to use it for substrate or for female stag beetles to lay eggs in. Search the piles of logs for light and spongy wood that you can easily break off with your fingers. If you discover any, you can submerge it in a bucket filled with water to change the texture. You can even boil the wood in water as a method of heat treatment. If you don't find any decayed lumber, you can try inoculate the logs with mushroom plugs to make white rotting wood quicker than it would take in the wild. However this is a more in depth process. I live on the east coast and I happen to find a lot even though I live in a small state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beet&Stag Buster Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 What species of mushrooms are most ideal for beetles? I've heard shiitake and turkey tail are alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
platypusninja96 Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 All depends on what beetle you want to raise. I am growing king oyster as that is good for dorcus and other stags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beet&Stag Buster Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Stag beetles. Mostly Lucanus species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
platypusninja96 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 then turkey tail is best. I would look up and double check with each species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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