ConchoMan Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 Please read the entire posting. I am serious about this even though it sounds crazy. Also the beetles come in near the middle. It started about two years ago when I had the idea to try to grow a Chihuahua sized cockroach. I intended to do this by growing the cockroaches in a self contained habitat in which the atmosphere was artificially enriched with Oxygen. However after some research on Roaches I found that they were not the "Ideal" insect to attempt to Super size but rather beetles would be a better test subject. Now I have not constructed a habitat, due Mainly to the cost of some of the equipment I plan to use. However I decided that I would attempt to first acquire the test subjects. Since I did not want to get into any Legal Trouble I planned to use wild beetles. First I had to catch some of them. The route that I took was simple, make an area of my yard the ideal habitat for beetle Larva. (Since Larva are easier to catch). I did this by creating a "Compost" heap out of leaves, small sticks, Dog manure, and ashes from the fireplace. Last year I dug up the compost area to lower the level of it and found that besides the small ONE inch white grub larva that I have dug up my whole life I also had some larger ones that were around 2 and a half inches long. Today I start to dig a whole in the heap to bury some ashes and found the largest Larva I have ever seen This thing has to be around Three to three and a half inches long!!! Now I have NOT started to experiment with modifying the Atmosphere of the larva. My question is, How Large do the Native Species of beetle Larva grow? I live in Central Texas, and I know there are some Large Beetle species that live here, and I have seen some large Larva before but nothing like this. Attached is a photo of the Larva, The two coins are a Quarter and a Fifty Cent piece for size reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhinobeetle Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 D.tityus are native to Texas and can be big grubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConchoMan Posted January 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 D.tityus are native to Texas and can be big grubs. You would not happen to have any Idea as to how long these have to before they Turn into Beetles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynastes Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 I'd be willing to be your grub is Strategus aloeus due to the location, head capsule coloration, size and habitat type. That species takes about eleven months from the egg being laid to reach adulthood, it may form its pupal cell in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConchoMan Posted January 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2010 Cool Many thanks I need to dig the area out again to prepare it for when my Live Oak looses its leaves. Last fall I dug it out and found probably Fifty large 2 inch length grubs that I separated out form the dirt and put back into the corner. I will probably not dig into that corner again till March or so. If I catch any of the beetles I will take some photos of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlopez Posted August 14, 2010 Report Share Posted August 14, 2010 yeah that's strategus aloeus nice size some of mine are that size now! nice find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucanus Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 "It started about two years ago when I had the idea to try to grow a Chihuahua sized cockroach. I intended to do this by growing the cockroaches in a self contained habitat in which the atmosphere was artificially enriched with Oxygen." The research on cockroaches have proven that they grow smaller if they get too much oxygen. I can't remember exactly but it was due to the hormon in cockroahces that are produced when there are lots of oxygens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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