Hibernation questions for D. Tityus

[Mantisfan101]

Is hibernation reauired for females to lay eggs? What’s the temperature range that they should be kept at and how long should I let my female D. Tityus hibernate?

[JKim]

Unless the female emerged in a late summer to early spring, hibernation is not required. Also, if you keep it indoor, such thing is not even necessary as indoor temperature is high enough to avoid hibernation. Egg laying does not require hibernation whatsoever.

[Mantisfan101]

11 hours ago, JKim said:

Unless the female emerged in a late summer to early spring, hibernation is not required. Also, if you keep it indoor, such thing is not even necessary as indoor temperature is high enough to avoid hibernation. Egg laying does not require hibernation whatsoever.

Thank you, but she emerged during the middle of winter. Also I have heard that hibernating helps mature the female’s ovaries and eggs, is this true?

[Goliathus]

I've been keeping a continuous culture of tityus for at least 15 years, and have never hibernated them.  I keep them between 70-77 F. year-round.  They're now completely out of sync with the emergence time of the wild population, and it's not unusual for them to emerge and breed right in the middle of winter.  If the beetles are active and feeding, they're ready to breed, regardless of the time of year.  Incidentally, in Florida (peninsular FL, at least), tityus doesn't hibernate, since the climate is mild year-round.  This is also why bears in zoos don't hibernate - it's simply not necessary.  Hibernation is just a way to conserve energy during times when the weather isn't ideal, and food would be scarce.  If an animal doesn't need to hibernate, it won't.

[Mantisfan101]

2 hours ago, Goliathus said:

I've been keeping a continuous culture of tityus for at least 15 years, and have never hibernated them.  I keep them between 70-77 F. year-round.  They're now completely out of sync with the emergence time of the wild population, and it's not unusual for them to emerge and breed right in the middle of winter.  If the beetles are active and feeding, they're ready to breed, regardless of the time of year.  Incidentally, in Florida (peninsular FL, at least), tityus doesn't hibernate, since the climate is mild year-round.  This is also why bears in zoos don't hibernate - it's simply not necessary.  Hibernation is just a way to conserve energy during times when the weather isn't ideal, and food would be scarce.  If an animal doesn't need to hibernate, it won't.

Ah, thanks! So hibernation isn’t necessary for them to lay eggs, got it. However, I have 3 other male larvae that are nowhere near pupating and 1 male pupa that should emerge in a few weeks, should I hibernate he female just so that the others can catch up? Thanks!

[Mantisfan101]

Also, do the pupal chambers need to stored horizontally or vertically for the adults to properly emerge? Thanks once again!

[Goliathus]

Ah, thanks! So hibernation isn’t necessary for them to lay eggs, got it. However, I have 3 other male larvae that are nowhere near pupating and 1 male pupa that should emerge in a few weeks, should I hibernate he female just so that the others can catch up? Thanks!

If you have a male that's still several weeks from eclosion, keep in mind that it's likely to be a couple of months (at minimum) before he actually emerges from his cell, and becomes active and ready to mate.  Although tityus females can live for months, they should be mated within 60 days of becoming active, and ideally, within the first several weeks after they emerge from their cells.  So, yes, if you can get the female to hibernate until you have a male become active, that would be best.  If your males are all likely to emerge too late to mate with the female, you might check with bugsincyberspace to see if they have any adult males in stock.

Also, do the pupal chambers need to stored horizontally or vertically for the adults to properly emerge? Thanks once again!

They should be kept in the original orientation in which they were built by the larvae.  Many beetles construct their pupal cells at an incline that puts the head end somewhat higher than the abdomen, and even if the incline is rather subtle, it's important to maintain this if the cells are moved.

[Mantisfan101]

Thanks again for the speedy responses! His pupa is at the poin when the eyes and mouthparts are dark amd I can see his limbs under the shell if i shine a light. I can also just barely make out his top horn from above below the pupal skin. 

[Goliathus]

Thanks again for the speedy responses! His pupa is at the poin when the eyes and mouthparts are dark amd I can see his limbs under the shell if i shine a light. I can also just barely make out his top horn from above below the pupal skin. 

If that's the case, he may be only a matter of hours away from eclosion.