The Longest Stag Beetle and Its Captive Breeding and Rearing
By Kay
If you live in a place where you can get enough natural food for species which you want to breed or rear, please skip this chapter. The natural food would be the best choice.
For those of you who are unable to access either the natural food or the ready-made beetle substartes (e.g. flour-fermented substrate, kinsho substrate or their variations), I introduce you a recipe of a flour-fermented substrate for rearing lucanid beetle larvae. The flour fermentation method is said to have been originated by H. Kojima, Japan's leading expert on the captive breeding and rearing of lucanidae and dynastinae. Although this rearing substrate, including its variations, has proven effective and has been widely used in Japan and elsewhere, I will not take any responsibilities in the event of ill or arrested development or, the worse case, death of your beetle larvae due to its use. This substrate should be further fermented for its use of rearing some genera such as Odontolabis whose larvae prefer feeding on dead wood at a rather advanced decaying level. When further fermented, it can also be used for rearing rhinoceros beetles. For the kinsho method, I skip its recipe in these pages since its making requires expertise.
To begin with, the following are required:
1) Decaying wood mulch (Fagus, Quercus or Celtis species is widely used in Japan;
�@�@�@�@hardwood trees only);
2) Wheat flour;
3) Natural water (avoid tap water, if possible); and
4) A container with lid (The lid should allow air exchange).
Capacity ratio of each, 1), 2) and 3), respectively: 10 to 1 to 1 (unit: liter). The capacity ratio varies among the users of this substrate. Also, some breeders add other nutrients other than wheat flour. For details, browse other beetle-related web sites on the Internet.
Procedures:
STEP 1: Make mulch dry under direct sun or by any other means.
STEP 2: Put the mulch into a container and mix it well with wheat flour. Then, pour water
into them and stir them well.
STEP 3: Close the container with its lid and keep it at 25 or more degrees Celsius.
This makes the substrate well fermented.
STEP 4: Leave it alone until the temperature begins to rise. Then, stir it at least once a day
until its temperature returns normal. It may take one or two months. The mulch
should be kept moist throughout the entire processes. If necessary, add some
water to the mulch.
Wheat flour acts as an agent to ferment the mulch, which is beneficial to larvae. It also is decomposed into nutritions. When fermentation begins, the substrate temperature rises.
To make wood into a fine mulch, some hobbyists use a home juicer or mixer. It is improtant to make the right choice of wood. For beginners, it is advisable to ask experienced breeders for the selection. To make this substrate, it is important to make a sufficient amount of it at a time (e.g. 20 liters, 30 liters, 50 liters, etc.). To maintain its remainder, make it (completely) dry and keep it in a plastic bag and make sure that you should put tiny holes into the bag to hold air circulation. This way, you can store it for a long time.
Tips to attain a maximum-length male imago of ssp. keisukei
1) Obtain a pair of as large imagoes as possible for oviposition;
2) Ideal rearing environment temperatures are 20-23 (?) degrees Celsius, those in
the larvae's habitat in Flores Island, Indonesia. (Option: Use of an incubator is
effective.);
3) Rear as many larvae as possible. When they have become early L3, choose
several larger male larvae to rear under the optimum conditions;
4) Keep male larvae singly in containers, preferably, with good heat conductance
(e.g. glass bottle with 15 cm or more diameter and 1.5 liter or more capacity)
For large larvae (50 grams +), use containers of 3 liters in capacity;
5) Attain a male larva of 60 grams or more in weight;
6) Keep changing substrates in a three-month interval;
7) Avoid pressing substrate so as not to disturb the air exchange;
8) Keep the substrate's moisture level sufficient;
9) Keep rearing containers in a dark, quiet and well-ventilated place;
10) Keep rearing containers apart;
11) Avoid touching rearing containers unless necessary; and
12) After attaining the imagoes, select the largest male and female for the next-generation
breeding. If necessary, cross-breed with a large imago of a different 'blood line'.
Notice
�� Prosopocoilus giraffa are importable to the author's country, Japan, and can be kept or
bred and reared there as well.
�� If you want to breed or rear this species, please be advised to check its legal status in
your country and others.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) FUJITA, H., et al. 2001-2008. BE-KUWA 1-29.
2) 2006. Nature Earth Origin NEO 16: Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles. Shogakukan, Tokyo.
3) FUJITA, H. 2004. A Pictorial Guide on Genus Prosopocoilus. BE-KUWA 10: 8-13.
4) FUJITA, H., et al. 2003. Beetle Breeders' Maximum Records, BE-KUWA 10: 8-13
5) ISHIYONE, T. 2001. Wonderland Beetles 1. Nara Ookuwa Center, Nara.
6) SHIOKURA, M., et al. 2001. KUWATA 9.
7) NISHIYAMA, Y. 2000. World Records of the Lucanid Beetles. Mokuyo-sha, Tokyo.
8) KOJIMA, H. 2000. Breeding Technique of Lucanid Beetles. Mushi-sha, Tokyo.
9) MIZUNUMA, T. and NAGAI, S. 1994. The Lucanid Beetles of the World. Mushi-sha, Tokyo.
