3/5/2023: Progress with Dynastes grantii

In September 2021, Will and I collected a mated female Dynastes grantii in southeastern Arizona. I was able to get several larvae from her, and now a year and a half later they’re preparing for the most stressful and exciting stage of their life cycle.

I have never gotten a Dynastes species to pupate properly, due in part from lack of experience but also from lack of holistic knowledge on what exactly they need. I am now of the opinion that cooling full-size larvae will trigger pupation in at least Dynastes grantii, but am pending asserting this until more of my own cooled larvae form pupal cells.

This has been a long journey but from the looks of it I have both sexes and some of the males may end up being monstrous. I can only hope that all goes well and that some time this summer F2 captive bred larvae of this locality stock will be available.

-Kyle