Dynastes tityus egg!

[happy1892]

Hi. I found an egg of Dynastes tityus in a bin with forest dirt mixed with leaves, soft maple stump wood and compost of mostly banana peelings I guess. It has been less than a month I think when I made mixed that substrate.

I have two females and one male I caught at lights in gas station. I used to have four females but I sent two to another person.

Pictures of the adults

 

[happy1892]

Ouch!

 

[Orin]

Congratulations.

 

[Vlodek]

Nice!

 

[happy1892]

Thanks. Have any of you bred Dynastes before?

 

[happy1892]

L2 larva:

L1 and L2 larvae:

 

[Bill Myers]

Nice! Just wondering how the larvae are doing. I've got some eggs, larvae, and adult D. tityus and D. granti. So, if you need any help or have any questions on rearing them, feel free to ask.

Cheers

 

[happy1892]

Thanks Bill Myers. I think the larvae are doing well, but I have only checked twice or more before I took that photo. I am afraid I will stress them out if I dig through their substrate several times.

 

[Bill Myers]

Yup, I try to keep them undisturbed as much as possible, too. I have a huge L3 D. tityus that, for the past couple of months, I've had to resist the temptation to go digging through his enclosure to check up on him. But, I figure he'll pop up when he's ready.

Cheers

 

[dmina]

Wow... You are keeping a "pet" that you can't interact with? So you don't know if they are alive or dead? Sorry... I don't collect these.. and I did not mean to be rude.. but the heading just struck my interest...

 

[happy1892]

When they are L3 I might be able to handle them a little, and maybe sometimes show to other people.

 

[dmina]

Sounds like loads of "fun"... hehe just kidding So if you can't bother them ... How do you know when it gets to L3? I know the thrill is getting them to reproduce... right? but are they as fragile as adults?

 

[happy1892]

By no means are they fragile as adults. They are quite tough when they are adults, just they die if you leave them on their back on the floor.

I do occasionally check the larvae to see how they are doing.

 

[happy1892]

 

[dmina]

I think they resemble grubs... They are different .. Thanks for sharing

 

[happy1892]

LOL, yep, they are grubs. Just they are big rhino beetle grubs!

 

[dmina]

So those are not the ones that are eating up my lawn in the summer?

 

[happy1892]

Yeah, they are not. Maybe the ones that are eating your lawn are Japanese beetles?? Grubs are just baby beetles.