10/13/2021: Eleodes spinipes macrura success!

A few weeks ago I wrote about a large darkling beetle from west-central Texas. I’m happy to report abundant larvae in the colony!

When I say abundant… I mean REALLY abundant. There may be several hundred larvae from 7 adults, maybe 3 of which are females. I’m feeling pretty good about getting another generation to adulthood.

With this species, I’ll be trying the method that has worked very well for me in the past with other large Eleodes like suturalis and obscurus. This involves packing small deli cups with damp sand/coconut fiber or top soil, cooling the prepupal larvae slightly, then warming them up. In those species it encourages pupation, though they may come from more temperate places than spinipes. Fortunately I can try a myriad of conditions and fish for the best results.

I have some more darkling projects coming close to proving out (including the return of the beloved Embaphion pie-dish beetles) and I’ll be sure to post some updates when applicable!

-Kyle