New Feeder insect: Sun Beetle

[Tom Forman]

i suppose they don't work out as the cheapest insect but I am planning to breed them so initial cost is not an issue if I will have a constant supply going by next year.

Rich I did already mention they are big, you would not be able to use these for another several years on IC or Pyro.

Kath, thx for the link.

Ps: Peter, I have seen hormone treated mealworms beeing sold here in the uk also.
When buying butterworms, these are radiated or something like that to prevent them ever mating here in the uk.

When I bought my lesser waxworms, I thought the same had been done with them, something had been done to stop them pupating but they eventually did anyway 6 months later. Now that I am breeding them they pupate straight away. Who knows what they were fed...

I'm just glad I breed and feed my own so I know they dont contain anything they shouldn't.


Edit: Rich, your tank comment made me smile, I know what you mean, I have invested far more space in all my feeder insects than the Tarantulas I am feeding them with.

[James Box]

wow those beetles are cute in their own right! worth keeping as pets, i think, if not feeders.

scary thoughts about the treatment of mealworms etc...

[Richard Shah]

Richard, they are not catapillars, they are grubs which live underground and burrow immediately they are unearthed.

Where did you read that mealworms are fed a food that retards their life cycle ?

Generally mealworm breeders in the US feed mealworms a hormone to get them to a bigger size but I havent heard of any in UK that do.

There are 2 types of 'mealworms'. The normal or standard mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) which is easy to keep grow and breed and readily pupates into beetles and the 'giant mealworm' ( Zophobas morio) which will NOT pupate if kept with other mealworms and so can be kept indefinately if fed an adequate diet.

Yeah sorry I knew they weren't catipillars, but my mind drifted while I was writing and started thinking if they could be used as food. BTW, can they?

Wikipedia; "When rearing mealworms, commercial growers incorporate a juvenile hormone into the feeding process to keep the mealworm in the larval stage and achieve an abnormal length of 2 cm or greater."
That is actually quite evil, if true. And how could that affect the predators?

Thanks for that info. BTW, when it does pupate whilst being kept for as live food sources, can the beetles be fed to the predator?
And I read, from Wikipedia, that Zophobas Morio are usually referred to as "Superworms", rather than mealworms.

I may buy some spiders/scorps online at the price advertised but for almost all livestock/equipment and live/frozen food ? I havent paid retail price for so many years I cant remember

I'd ask you how but I'm guessing that you'll just say "None of your business. I am not in a position to tell you that" Lol But, that is quite wicked though!

i suppose they don't work out as the cheapest insect but I am planning to breed them so initial cost is not an issue if I will have a constant supply going by next year.

Rich I did already mention they are big, you would not be able to use these for another several years on IC or Pyro.

Kath, thx for the link.

Ps: Peter, I have seen hormone treated mealworms beeing sold here in the uk also.
When buying butterworms, these are radiated or something like that to prevent them ever mating here in the uk.

When I bought my lesser waxworms, I thought the same had been done with them, something had been done to stop them pupating but they eventually did anyway 6 months later. Now that I am breeding them they pupate straight away. Who knows what they were fed...

I'm just glad I breed and feed my own so I know they dont contain anything they shouldn't.


Edit: Rich, your tank comment made me smile, I know what you mean, I have invested far more space in all my feeder insects than the Tarantulas I am feeding them with.

Lol; yeah a problem I realized when it came to setting up everything for IC.

And it is crazy; you really do not know exactly what they are fed, unless you go and ask around. Even so, you have no idea how it could affect your T.s.

[Oli Dodds]

Dont believe anything you read on wikipedia...
I could go on it right now and edit it to say giraffes are purple... Would that be taken as fact because its on wikipedia?
Id gamble my whole collection that Peter knows more on this subject then anybody that writes anything on wikipedia

[Richard Shah]

Dont believe anything you read on wikipedia...
I could go on it right now and edit it to say giraffes are purple... Would that be taken as fact because its on wikipedia?
Id gamble my whole collection that Peter knows more on this subject then anybody that writes anything on wikipedia

Very true; I wouldn't doubt that for a second. That is why we "cross-reference" things!