Inkie14 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 So I found a couple of these (PICTURE: http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j459/Inkie14/IMG_9038.jpg) running around my backyard patio at night. (I live in Central Valley in California) I think they're some kind of Ground Beetle? They're very, very fast. I've seen some people offering Ground Beetles for sale. What do people usually buy them for? Are they fun to keep? I'm thinking about breeding these (since I breed everything I can find! lol). Any tips on breeding, care, etc? Basically any information about these guys would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Update: I gave them a moistened pellet of dog food and they are ravenously attacking it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpet Roaches Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Ground beetles are primarily predators and many species live 1 to 2 years as adults. This is long compared to most beetles and so the adults are often kept as pets. Breeding is another story. It is possible, and has been done, but I am unaware of any true success stories with any species. (I have bred the big green, red, and purple Calosoma but my ultimate production was lower than my starting point). If someone could set up a repeatable methodology for rearing ground beetles and publish their findings that person would be A1 in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Thanks for the info! After a quick search, I'm pretty sure they are Harpalus pensylvanicus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Found an article about captive rearing of Ground Beetles, specifically Harpalus pensylvanicus and one other species. I just requested the full text. I'm excited to read it! https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240840198_NOTES_ON_THE_BIOLOGY_AND_REARING_OF_TWO_SPECIES_OF_GROUND_BEETLES_PTEROSTICHUS_MELANARIUS_AND_HARPALUS_PENSYLVANICUS_%28COLEOPTERA_CARABIDAE%29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCrackerpants Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Ground beetles are primarily predators and many species live 1 to 2 years as adults. This is long compared to most beetles and so the adults are often kept as pets. Breeding is another story. It is possible, and has been done, but I am unaware of any true success stories with any species. (I have bred the big green, red, and purple Calosoma but my ultimate production was lower than my starting point). If someone could set up a repeatable methodology for rearing ground beetles and publish their findings that person would be A1 in my book. I have some WC black Calosoma in a communal tank. It is fun to watch them ambush red runners. They we not very good at catching the red runners when the substrate was bare but when I put a layer of dead leaves in they used it as places to hide and "sneak" up on the runners. They buried themselves and made chambers over the winter and are back running around the surface. No babies yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Like you said, Orin, it seems like carabids are one of those groups that is really easy to keep alive, but much more complicated to propagate.. I have't ever seriously tried to breed any species, but I got eggs from Calosoma scrutator by feeding them well and keeping them on moist soil in a planted terrarium. It seems like the biggest obstacles are getting females to ovipositor and then taking care of the ova... "I breed everything I can..." I like that attitude!! Glad you found the article, but still make sure to record what you do for these guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pannaking22 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I haven't had much luck breeding carabids either, but someone has to have a large success sometime! Good luck if you go for it, Inkie14! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 Thanks everyone. Colony is still alive and well, let's hope I can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have bred harpalus penslyvanicus, to some extent. The females will lay quite a few eggs in coco fiber, and in a bottle cap filled with wet toilet paper. Getting them to lay eggs was very easy, which was quite surprising. I got more larva than the number of beetles I started with. The larva are very weak, and prone to die for no reason. I fed them dead mealworms. In the end, I got one to pupate, but it died for no apparent reason. I hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Here is a post I made regarding this species. http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1685&hl=harpalus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tongue Flicker Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 they seem like pretty interesting beetles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 They are. Hopefully more people get interested in breeding these beetles, maybe start some sorta club, compare notes and experiences in breeding different species. Just a thought, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanBuck Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Kinda like with more rare or hard to breed animals? Kinda like scientists? That is actually a cool idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thanks! yea kinda like them, compare experience and learn off each others successes and mistakes, that kinda thing. if a bunch of people got involved in breeding these, then there is a good chance somebody will have success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanBuck Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I like this idea, Someone should find a bunch of these (a pair or more) and send them to people willing and have the tme for breeding these and record what works and what doesnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 I've got a bunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanBuck Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Start sendin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Ground beetles here I find eating earthworms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I once found some small shiny green Carabids (I had found out the name but have since forgotten it) in my yard about 5-6 years ago. I was collecting isopods then and didn't think much of throwing them in with the isopods as I collected both. Months later I noticed my isopods were not thriving as I had been told they would; when I went to dismantle the colony I found it was full of the original carabid adults, their larvae, and also pupae in small chambers underneath the moistened soil. I would suspect that the adult carabids quickly eat any ova they may produce (a generalization for all species) but since they were in a setting where there was not only space but also food of varying sizes (in the form of the differently aged isopods) they managed to propagate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Kyle, I think I saw this post, were they Chlaenius sp? I have a little "report". I am trying to get a female Carabus nemoralis to lay eggs in a cage with potting soil, sand and zoo med jungle mix. No luck yet, but it has only been a week or two. She is eating isopods, mealworms and other bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 I'm moving to a new city and can't bring these beetles with me so I'm going to dismantle the colony for now, and catch some new ones later in Fall or next Spring. Who wants free beetles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanBuck Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 What do they eat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkie14 Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Small caterpillars, other soft-bodied insects, dry cat or dog food pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanBuck Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 How about tiny roaches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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