What to do with new grub

[orangestag]

Hi I found a little grub who I think is a reddish-brown stag beetle today and put him into a small sized grub container I got from James' beetle farm a month ago because I was going on the hunt for one but I couldn't find any. This one was flipped over on my driveway but not very alive so i put him in the soil. I found some winged insects in it but not many, I don't know what they are but they seem to have flown away because when I opened the container about 5 minutes later the grub had burrowed down into the soil and I couldn't see any of the other bugs. I would send a picture of the grub but I don't want to stress him out by digging him up yet, maybe tomorrow. I took the top layer of soil out of the container and mixed the new top layer up hoping that would get rid of the bugs because I think they might be gnats. He is currently in my garage but it's about 60 degrees F. I don't want to bring whatever those things were back into my house but will the grub get stressed in the cold? 

[Ayudrs]

On 9/24/2024 at 6:53 AM, orangestag said:

Hi I found a little grub who I think is a reddish-brown stag beetle today and put him into a small sized grub container I got from James' beetle farm a month ago because I was going on the hunt for one but I couldn't find any. This one was flipped over on my driveway but not very alive so i put him in the soil. I found some winged insects in it but not many, I don't know what they are but they seem to have flown away because when I opened the container about 5 minutes later the grub had burrowed down into the soil and I couldn't see any of the other bugs. I would send a picture of the grub but I don't want to stress him out by digging him up yet, maybe tomorrow. I took the top layer of soil out of the container and mixed the new top layer up hoping that would get rid of the bugs because I think they might be gnats. He is currently in my garage but it's about 60 degrees F. I don't want to bring whatever those things were back into my house but will the grub get stressed in the cold? 

I'm guessing you mean James' 24oz larvae kit, which your larvae should do fine it. Especially since he burrowed down on his own, that's a good sign. The flying bugs, if very small are likely gnats. They aren't a problem unless in large numbers, like over 50 or 100. If there are too many the larva will need a flake change. And micropore tape can prevent gnats from getting inside while still allowing air.

I think 60°F is okay, but if you're worried about it, I recommend keeping it in 70-75°F.

[orangestag]

thanks also today I found a lot of white lines in the dirt, they have tiny black dots at the ends but didn't move when pushed the cup in on them.

 

[Ayudrs]

On 9/30/2024 at 3:23 PM, orangestag said:

thanks also today I found a lot of white lines in the dirt, they have tiny black dots at the ends but didn't move when pushed the cup in on them.

 

That description sounds like gnat larvae to me. They don't harm the larvae, but can cause the flake quality to degrade faster. Change the larvae's flake around 2 months, or sooner if you find the gnat population to be growing rapidly.

You can covor up the ventilation holes with microfiber tape (breathable tape) to keep new gnats from getting inside.

[orangestag]

Cool thanks