Unexpected behaviour

[kellakk]

This topic is likely posted in the wrong section. I apologize, and hope the mods move it to the correct place.

Not too long after I switched my G. portentosa colony to a more naturalistic look (leaf litter, hardwood chunks, oak log centerpiece), I noticed that the population of lesser mealworms in that enclosure had exploded. Since they're too small to feed to anything but my Lactrodectus slings, I wanted to cut down on their population a bit. They're good as a clean-up crew, but the adults were starting to bother some of the hisser nymphs. So I decided to add some Pterostichus melanarius that I had found while collecting Parcoblatta americana nymphs. They're doing the job well; they don't seem to bother the hissers, and occasionally (if I'm watching the colony late at night) I'll see one of them carrying a mealworm larva around. This evening, though, I witnessed some unexpected behaviour from one of them: it was eating fruit! All of the literature I've read about them says they're carnivores, but I guess they missed the memo!

[Hisserdude]

They will suck the moisture out of fruits, but are not actualy eating them. I have some myself, cool little buggers. Hope this helps!

[Cariblatta]

Many Carabids will actually feed on fruits when given opportunity. My Calosoma scrutator and Galerita sp. often fed on banana to the point where their stomachs will become thrice the size of their original size. lol

[kellakk]

Interesting, thanks for the info. Have any of you bred Pterostichus before? Is there any problem with cannibalism (adults eating young)? I kind of like predatory beetles after getting the chance to watch how these guys act. Any recommendations for another predatory beetle?

[Hisserdude]

I have gotten a few eggs from mine but have never been able to rear the larva to adults. The adults will eat the larva and other adults if they are hungry. I just forgot to feed them once and I checked on them today and half of them were corpses, half eaten. I did not know ground beetle actualy ate fruits, you learn something new everyday!