Giant flower beetle caresheet
Adults:
- Size: 45-80mm
- Adult life span including dormant period: 3-6 months
- Temperature: 68-77°F
- Humidity: 50-60%
- Food: Beetle jelly or fruits(no citrus)
Breeding:
- Required temperature for breeding: 72-80°F
- Minimum container size for egg laying: 5in x 3in x 5in
- # of eggs laid on average: 15-20 eggs.
- Flake soil humidity adjustment: The amount of water is appropriate when you can form a ball by squeezing the flake soil with your hand. Water seeping out of your hands during the process indicates that there is too much water.
- Set-up: No need to pack the substrate at all. Just fill the container with flake soil. The females of this species tend to lay eggs without hardening the substrate around the eggs.
Set-up example:
Larvae:
- Food:
- Flake soil or white-rot hardwood.
- A mixture of 80% oak leaves + 20% rotten wood also works.
- Accepts protein supplements in form of koi pellets, dog food, dried river shrimp, etc..
- Temperature: 72-77°F.
- Humidity: 50-60%
- Larval duration: 8-12 months
- Container size recommendations:
- L1: 4oz deli cup
- L2: 16oz deli cup
- L3: 32oz container
- L3 males: 64oz container recommended
- Pupation: Larvae creates a cocoon ball before they pupate. If you don't see the larva at the bottom of the container for a few days, it could indicate that they are making their cocoon ball. Destroying this ball leads to death so avoid checking the larva during this time.
Helpful notes and tips:
- Eggs tend to die if collected so it's better to just leave the breeding setup alone and collect larvae later.
- Some larvae can take exceptionally long to pupate according to some sources.
- Although the species is easy to rear and breed, the amount of eggs that it lays is exceptionally low in my experience.