Mycelium in Larvae Container

[Trickster4095]

Recently, I found some L3 larvae of what I assume to be Lucanus Elaphus grubs. I got them some flake soil, a chunk of white rotten wood, and situated them within my room maintaining a temperature of 75-80 degrees. Recently, I've been seeing strings of mycelium grown within the bottom half of the substrate where the larvae are, and I just want to know if I should proceed with removing them or leaving them in there. 

[JKim]

Unless you sterilize substrate and keep it in aseptic room, it is impossible to completely avoid fungal infection, and in your case it will be difficult since it sounds like you brought in from outside. To completely remove fungal infection, you will have to change out substrate completely. Just removing what you see in your eyes are not going to be enough. But to reduce it, you can either spray low concentrated isopropyl alcohol to where mycelium is located (very low like 5-10%  or even lower). Or keep container lid open for couple days to dry it out, And yes, change substrate completely as I mentioned in earlier sentence.

Good luck with rearing!!

[pickle01]

I think it would definitely depend on the type of fungus you're seeing. If you put rotten wood in there then it's probably just mycelium growing from the fungus already colonizing that wood (would usually be white and stringy but I've also had yellow). Since stag beetle larvae live in and eat that wood, complete with fungus, then it's unlikely the fungus would hurt the larvae. I've had plenty of fungus growing in larvae containers with no problems, but there are of course some that will kill larvae. Like JKim said, the only way to avoid fungus completely is to sterilize the soil and wood, but I think that's generally overkill. The likelihood of a dangerous fungus is low in my experience.

 

[kevink]

I wouldn't worry about some mycelium or other things normally present in rotten wood, it depends how sterile you want things, 

but they are animals and live outdoors to begin with.

I've got some mycelium in one or 2 containers, and some little flies, but I see it as being healthy, ideally, I'd rather have just the grubs, 

but if some mushrooms or some flies show up- that's just nature.

[Ratmosphere]

It's normal don't worry!

[Dynastes TItyus hunter]

Yea, no need to worry. 

[Jami]

is mycelium growth in my breeding tub bad for the beetles trying to lay eggs? I’m asking because i made a breeding tub before i got the beetles to mate and the tub started growing mycelium. Pls help!