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Insect-Collection does not offer live items.
Please inform yourself before ordering exotics with your local legislation.
Beetle Breeding: Family Cetonidae
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Although beetle breeding is not a commonly found hobby in North America, it’s a very popular past time in Europe and Asia. In Japan, many children TV shows such a Digimon and Pokémon base their characters on beetles and other insects. Stores specializing in the culture of beetles exist where hobbyists can purchase everything they need to start breeding beetles at home. Although many families of beetles are found in beetle husbandry, this article will focus mainly on the Cetonidae family, also known as Flower Beetles. |
Pachnoda marginata feeding on a banana.
Author: Evanherk Dec. 3rd, 2006 |
Flower beetles are insects which are mostly found active in the day time (diurnal). Many have very colorful elytras, which is a modified hardened forewing and can attain spectacular size such as the Goliathus beetle from Africa. A complete beetle cycle consists of: egg, three larva instar (L1, L2, L3), pupa, pre-pupa and imago (adult). Popular species kept in captivity are: Eudicella sp., Pachnoda sp., Dicronorrhina sp., Mecynorrhina sp. and gigantic Goliathus sp. (the latter requires an article of its own since it has a primarily carnivorous diet).
Eudicella morgani in captivity
Step 1. Preparing the substrate.
 Deciduous tree in autumn
Author: Wing-Chi Poon Nov. 5th, 2005 |
Coniferous Forest (Pine): To be avoided
Author: Nova July 23rd, 2005 |
Before acquiring your beetles, you should make sure you have the proper material to keep your beetles. Cetonidae beetle larvae require a mixture of decayed deciduous hardwood and decayed leaves to develop successfully. A mix of 20% decayed wood and 80% decayed leaves works well for most species. Such ingredients are commonly found in hardwood forests near maples, oaks and beech. Coniferous trees such as pine and other "Christmas trees" must be avoided at all cost. These trees contain toxic resin which is deadly once ingested by larvae.
 Maple tree
Author: Willow May 1st, 2007 |
 Beech tree
Author: Stanmar May 4, 2007 |
 Oak tree
Author: Benjaminb Dec. 2 2005 |
Leaf Litter: Try to avoid newly fallen leafs as they lack the proper state of decomposition and the micro-ecology necessary for the proper the digestion of the decayed matter. The best time to collect your leaf litter is before the fall of the tree leaves which is late summer / early fall. It is even better if you can collect tree leaves which have been decomposing for a few years already. With the help of a light shovel, you can scrape and collect the leaves until you reach the hardened floor of the forest.
