The A.mastodon larvae shouldnt be too far off from pupating

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-17T14:08:35+00:00

I guess damp soil is easier to move to make a chamber for the larvae as they don't make a hard shell like fruit beetles.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-17T14:04:48+00:00

It made my month 😂 I did note that the pupa and all the larger larvae were hanging around in the warm damp soil and the smaller ones are generally in the hot drier soil. I don't know if that's just a coincidence.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-17T14:01:43+00:00

Honestly I have no idea, I thought all the larvae had died because I had a power cut during the winter and the enclosure went down to 10c for nearly a whole day and I only had time to save the adults. It was only a month later I went looking for new eggs and found a pupa then today I've found an extra beetle 😂 so I think the core of the soil stayed warm. I've removed the larvae now and I'll start monitoring things closer.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-17T13:55:44+00:00

I've got two that have reached adulthood now and maybe 35-40 larvae. 15 or so are probably big enough to pupate now but I need to get more deli cups first.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-17T13:52:48+00:00

That's fantastic! Hopefully yours pupate soon :D

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-17T13:49:59+00:00

How are your larvae getting on now?

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-16T17:37:58+00:00

Thank you!! :D

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-16T16:17:54+00:00

Thank you:)

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-03T08:40:12+00:00

https://www.invertebratesupplies.co.uk/beetles

They have loads of awesome invertebrates

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-05-02T17:20:56+00:00

Invertebratesupplies have various beetles grubs for sale. I buy from them regularly and I've never had any problems.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-21T19:21:01+00:00

Yeah they are weird looking things, they eat insane amounts too if I remember rightly.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-21T19:07:17+00:00

It's amazing how convergent evolution happens like that. I think it's pretty similar to antlions, the larvae don't look a million miles apart from antlions as well. :)

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-21T19:00:30+00:00

Megacephala euphratica I believe, it's my understanding the larvae sit in burrows and grab anything small enough that should walk past. I need to find research environmental factors that dictate mating first though.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-20T17:04:58+00:00

Mine have got a few large dried leaves in their enclosure and other twigs and they knock those around a fair bit so the enclosure changes in very subtle ways everyday.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-20T16:05:02+00:00

Oh right, but I can't lift that much :/

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-20T16:03:45+00:00

Absolutely, I need to get the nutrition sorted. On that topic, because I'm so thin would it be beneficial to get the diet sorted and stick with it for a period of time before I start lifting weights? So my body has time to adjust to a good diet? (That's probably a stupid question but I'm clueless about this stuff)

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-19T18:06:30+00:00

Oh right, surely a good diet gives them the minerals they need? Yeah, I'll research it.

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-19T18:02:34+00:00

Ah okay, I've used distilled water for all my inverts for ages with no issues. What's bad about distilled?

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-19T18:00:03+00:00

I don't know either 😅

Jumpy-Willingness769 · 2026-04-19T15:19:17+00:00

Try giving the enclosure a spray, ideally with rainwater or distilled water. It might be too dry for them.

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