16 replies to this topic

[MegaMyrmex]

If anyone has any experience catching them, I would really appreciate it!!!!
Since I generally have to hibernate my ants in winter, I thought up of some insects that I'd be able to keep during winter. In my state, I have the following insects and if anyone has any experience catching them, I would really appreciate it!
- Giant silk moths
- Lucanus elaphus
- Lucanus capreolus
- Osmoderma eremicola
- Xyloryctes jamaicensis

[Connectimyrmex]

I sometimes find (VERY YOUNG) Lucanus elaphus larvae inside of rotting logs (white bark species only). The heartwoodhas to be soft but fairly intact (and very damp). I also find Parcoblatta and Camponotus in the same general layer as the larvae.

 

EDIT: I MEANT LUCANUS CAPREOLUS! SORRY!

Edited by Connectimyrmex, December 24 2017 - 12:06 PM.

[MegaMyrmex]

You find lucanus elaphus grubs?!?!? SO JEALOUS!!! They are my dream betles, I wamt them so bad! Just thinking about a major male walking on my hand makes me drool...
Also, are giant silk moths attractes to lights?

[gcsnelling]

You find lucanus elaphus grubs?!?!? SO JEALOUS!!! They are my dream betles, I wamt them so bad! Just thinking about a major male walking on my hand makes me drool...
Also, are giant silk moths attractes to lights?

 

 

You mean like this? and yes some species of giant silks come to lights.

Edited by gcsnelling, December 21 2017 - 3:26 AM.

[MegaMyrmex]

OH MY GOSH YESSSSS!!!! How did you find it? I literally spent hours in the woods looking for one, and I only found a couple of stone centipedes...

[Connectimyrmex]

I find them sometimes, but I never keep them. The first two that I found dried up way too fast. If I ever keep them again, I might use a test tube setup filled with wood (that's what I'm doing with my powderpost beetle)

[MegaMyrmex]

For most wood eating grybs keep them in deli cups or deli containers filled with rotten hardwood. Make sure that the substrate doesn't get wet, and also, how do you know if they are L. Elaphus or not? L. Capreolus and L. Elaphus grubs look identical to me

[Connectimyrmex]

I was guessing their identity because of some large mandibles found nearby.

[MegaMyrmex]

Ah, that would make sense. The only stag beetles I find here are L. Capreolus, but only because I found a wild male that had flown to my porch light

[MegaMyrmex]

You find lucanus elaphus grubs?!?!? SO JEALOUS!!! They are my dream betles, I wamt them so bad! Just thinking about a major male walking on my hand makes me drool...
Also, are giant silk moths attractes to lights?

You mean like this? and yes some species of giant silks come to lights.

What type of lights are they attracted to? Sorry for the bombardment of questions...

[gcsnelling]

They will fly to regular porch lights but respond better to  blacklights.Lucanus in Arkansas tend to be late spring into early summer.

 

Dynastes also flies around the same time frame. This guy was seen in June.

Edited by gcsnelling, December 21 2017 - 3:43 PM.

[MegaMyrmex]

Cool, but I have never had a d. Totyus fly to a light. I'll be sure to pick up some blacklights as well, I've been meaning to get some to catch some pheidole queens.

[Canadian anter]

I've seen Giant Silks but never any of the large beetles

[Connectimyrmex]

I actually once found a giant silk moth near a furniture store. I was going to catch her, but she was actually in the process of laying eggs (of course, I left her alone at that).

[Salmon]

Connectimyrmex, i'm pretty sure that the grubs you find in rotten logs are either L. capreolus or one of the smaller stag beetle species. L. elephas doesn't occur in connecticut. 

 

Also, if you see a giant silkmoth laying eggs, you don't leave her alone... you put her in a paper bag and collect them!

[gcsnelling]

http://museum.unl.ed...y/LucanusK.html

[Connectimyrmex]

Connectimyrmex, i'm pretty sure that the grubs you find in rotten logs are either L. capreolus or one of the smaller stag beetle species. L. elephas doesn't occur in connecticut. 

 

Also, if you see a giant silkmoth laying eggs, you don't leave her alone... you put her in a paper bag and collect them!

Yep, you're right. In fact, that jaw piece i found actually was L. capreolus. I keep on confusing the 2 species.