Captive bred ironclad beetles

[DynastesDee]

Hi everybody, I’ve had some success in breeding some diabolical ironclad beetles. I currently have 5 larvae feeding on organic compost.I would like some advice in rearing this species to adulthood.

[Oak]

Congratulations! What was your breeding set up like? I don't think anyone has ever bred them.

[Goliathus]

That's great news - looking forward to hearing how your rearing effort goes with these!  In my area, we have Zopherus nodulosus haldemani, and it would be fantastic to be able to breed it.  I've only ever encountered just a few examples of this species, but probably only because I've just found them incidentally, rather than going out looking for them intentionally - 


 

[DynastesDee]

First I had to get a 10 gallon tank. Put 2-3” of soaking coco fiber on the first layer. The second layer was 2-3” of damp organic compost with some coco fiber mixed. I had the third layer on top 3-4” of sand with a small amount of compost, coco fiber, crushed oak leaves and mesquite bark on top for hiding.

It might be better to substitute the mesquite bark and compost with more familiar wood that you’ve found them in or nearby. I’ve used this method to breed blue death feigning beetles and other desert beetle species. It’s also important to simulate rain at the beginning of 4 months and check the tank for larvae at the end of 4 every months. However, with non desert species such as Zopherus nodulosus haldemani I would use 1-2” of the sand mixture and part of a rotting log between the sand mix and the compost, make sure that the 3 substrates don't mix to much.

 

[DynastesDee]

How do you post pictures on this forum?

[Goliathus]

26 minutes ago, DynastesDee said:

How do you post pictures on this forum?

When writing a post, you should see an option for dragging or choosing files to attach, like this - 

[DynastesDee]

Ok, here is a picture of a diabolical ironclad beetle larva.

[Oak]

2 hours ago, DynastesDee said:

First I had to get a 10 gallon tank. Put 2-3” of soaking coco fiber on the first layer. The second layer was 2-3” of damp organic compost with some coco fiber mixed. I had the third layer on top 3-4” of sand with a small amount of compost, coco fiber, crushed oak leaves and mesquite bark on top for hiding.

It might be better to substitute the mesquite bark and compost with more familiar wood that you’ve found them in or nearby. I’ve used this method to breed blue death feigning beetles and other desert beetle species. It’s also important to simulate rain at the beginning of 4 months and check the tank for larvae at the end of 4 every months. However, with non desert species such as Zopherus nodulosus haldemani I would use 1-2” of the sand mixture and part of a rotting log between the sand mix and the compost, make sure that the 3 substrates don't mix to much.

 

What do you mean by the rain part? Are you saying that you spray water at the beginning of every month for 4 months?

[DynastesDee]

Yes

[Oak]

Cool. Good luck with rearing the larvae. Tell us how it goes! I've found adults inside rotting logs, so the larvae probably feeds on rotting wood/organic debris.

[DynastesDee]

I spray water in the tank more often during the monsoon season, that could be once every 2 weeks for 3 months or whenever it rains at the place you’ve collected the tenebs.

[Reyes]

Are you sure they are ironclad beetles? May I have some pictures the beetles?

 

[DynastesDee]

Yes, this is an ironclad beetle larva. What else could this picture of an adult ironclad beetle be?

[Dynastes TItyus hunter]

Yeah, I think that is one. 

[Reyes]

DAMN! I tried breeding them but it never worked out. You are lucky! What is you setup?

[DynastesDee]

First I had to get a 10 gallon tank. Put 2-3” of soaking coco fiber on the first layer. The second layer was 2-3” of damp organic compost with some coco fiber mixed. I had the third layer on top 3-4” of sand with a small amount of compost, coco fiber, crushed oak leaves and mesquite bark on top for hiding.

It might be better to substitute the mesquite bark and compost with more familiar wood that you’ve found them in or nearby. I’ve used this method to breed blue death feigning beetles and other desert beetle species. It’s also important to simulate rain at the beginning of 4 months and check the tank for larvae at the end of 4 every months. However, with non desert species such as Zopherus nodulosus haldemani I would use 1-2” of the sand mixture and part of a rotting log between the sand mix and the compost, make sure that the 3 substrates don't mix to much.

[Reyes]

Ok, thanks! I will breed mine like that from now on.

[Hisserdude]

Congratulations, this is awesome news, no fungus needed for oviposition!

Just based on how Zopheridae larvae look, (very similar to Cnodalonini Teneb larvae), I'd highly recommend isolating your larvae, there may be a good chance they're cannibalistic like Cnodalonini larvae are.

For protein I'd also try offering buried dog kibble pieces or some alternative, keep them humid, maybe offer some rotten wood, and just hope for the best really, you're in uncharted territory here.

Also, for the rain simulation for adults, are you just misting heavily at the beginning of each month, and then not watering them at all until the beginning of the next month? 

[DynastesDee]

For the rain simulation, sometimes I use less water and other times I use more water. When I checked the tank for diabolical ironclad beetle larvae they seem to stay right above the coco fiber and into the compost layer. The blue death feigning beetle larvae tend to stay between the compost and the sand. So I use 5, 5.5 oz containers with compacted coco fiber and compost for the diabolical ironclad beetle larvae.

[Hisserdude]

Good to know. And yeah that sounds about right, Asbolus like things sandier, whereas ironclads supposedly spend their larval stages within rotten wood, or at least in decaying organic matter of some sort, (as opposed to the inorganic substrates Asbolus typically dig through). 

[Pvlgize]

That's incredible! Do you have any updates? Did they pupate? 

[Beetlesforlife3]

Hey @DynastesDeehow are the ironclads? Any new info to add I wanna attempt to breed.

[DynastesDee]

No, I think this is all the information I can give for now. My ironclad beetles are currently still larvae.

[Beetlesforlife3]

Thanks final question what have larvae been feeding on?

[Two Crows]

I just watched my blue ironclad lady deposit two eggs. Does anyone know how long it takes for them to hatch?