Darkling And Ironclad Beetles

Category Archives: Darkling and Ironclad Beetles rss

Darkling Beetles: Edrotes ventricosus

Identification request
Location: Moapa, Nevada
January 28, 2012 8:43 pm
I’m after an identification confirmation or other options. Images of Paracotalpa deserta are the hardest to find of the four species. That said, this matches Field Guide to Beetles of California description for a ”Little Bear” scarab beetle with January thru March time of appearance, creosote-bursage desert habitat, and general description as ”black”. These were 9mm long.
Signature: Bruce Lund

Darkling Beetle: Edrotes ventricosus

Dear Bruce,
The antennae on these beetles are wrong for a Scarab. We believe we have correctly identified it as a Darkling Beetle, Edrotes ventricosus, by matching to photos posted to BugGuide. The species has been reported in California and Nevada.

Darkling Beetles: Edrotes ventricosus

THANK YOU for the identification AND especially for the antennae comment.
The latter sent me back to field guides and websites to look at what I
missed and OF COURSE the antennae are not correct for a scarab beetle and
are correct for the Tenebrionidae. I’m just starting to work in the
insects and my learing curve is nearly vertical.
Bruce

You are most welcome Bruce. It always helps to have more than one set of eyes when doing unusual or difficult identifications.

add Darkling Beetles: Edrotes ventricosus

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¶ Posted 29 January 2012 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Advice on Raising Meal Worms requested

Mealworm confusion, looking for expert
Website: http://www.rabbitindustrycouncil.com
December 18, 2011 7:44 pm
I know you’re terrifically busy in all senses of the word ‘terrific’, but I was hoping you might ask your entomologist backup crew to get in touch.
I’m starting out with mealworms and have some rather odd things going on in the colonies. Major size differences in larval stage just before pupation and in pupae is only the beginning…!
I’m suspecting a mix of species, but which species? Need to know so I can give them each their optimum environments, and I’m totally lost.
Have pics, can send, can take more…
And any help, as always, is wonderfully appreciated!
Signature: Pamela Alley

Mealworm Pupae

Mealworm pupae size difference
Location: N. California
December 18, 2011 7:55 pm
You ROCK, folks…!
This is a picture of a darkling beetle, matured from one of my mealworm colony pupae–and in the next pictures, you can see there is a huge size difference between two distinct groups. Supplier A’s mealworms are larger at pupation and make large pupae; Supplier B’s mealworms are pupating at a smaller size and result in smaller pupae.
I suspect a mix of species–let me know what photos will be most helpful in ID’ing the darn things?
Thanks so very much for all you do–I swear, I recommend you to about six teachers a year. *evil grin*
Signature: onafixedincome

mealworm pupa onafixedincome 300x178 Advice on Raising Meal Worms requested

Mealworm Pupae

Ed. Note: These two emails came minutes apart, and despite the different signatures and email addresses, we suspect they have the same origin.

mealworm onafixedincome Advice on Raising Meal Worms requested

Darkline Beetle: Mealworm

Dear Pamela and/or Onafixedincome,
Since your two emails came minutes apart, and deal with a similar subject matter, we suspect they are related despite different signatures and different email addresses. Please confirm our suspicions. Additionally, since only onafixedincome sent photos, we are treating this as a single posting and we will respond to both together. Mealworms are a common commercial name for the larvae of Darkling Beetles that are raised as food for a variety of pets including larger tropical fish, turtles, lizards and frogs. The Aquatic Community website has a nice page on Raising Mealworms. The common commercial species is the Yellow Mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, though we suspect other species may also be raised commercially, which might be one explanation for the size discrepancy you have witnessed. Individual species also have considerable variation in size from individual to individual, and this may be partially explained by genetic traits. Perhaps one supplier has individuals that are passing on a gene that is producing smaller larvae and pupae, and this is producing smaller adults. We hope someone with experience will provide a comment to this posting, though sometimes comments take years to be posted. We would recommend that you place a comment to this posting so that you will be notified in the future if there are any comments or answers to your questions.

Whups! My apologies, wasn’t trying to be sneaky…Just brainless as usual, which takes little effort.
I wasn’t going to send you pics, because they are ‘domestic’ insects, then thought you might find them fun, if not useful, so posted them. The difference in emails was a screwup, and I am sorry.
Any rate, I appreciate your input as always!–can’t imagine how you manage to keep up with all this stuff.
Given the current average of malformation (50%+) thus far on the large pupae, I’m leaning toward the theory that these were treated with with growth hormone to get size–and that the beetles from these may well turn out sterile.
So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see….Much obliged for the link, it’s always good to learn as much as you can when raising anything, even bugs!
Again, you ROCK!!!
And of course, thank you so very much.
PA
onafixedincome

add Advice on Raising Meal Worms requested

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¶ Posted 20 December 2011 § Beetle Larvae § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) °

Secretions from an Acrobat Beetle

Pinacate Beetle Secretions
November 10, 2011 11:14 pm
Do you know of anyone who has had the secretions from this beetle on their skin? What does it look like? I suspect my daughter has been repeatedly sprayed by this beetle that was in her shoe, and she has a dark black area on 2 toes that will not wash off.
Signature: Lori Lindley

Acrobat Beetle

Dear Lori,
Since you did not attach a photo, we located a recent image from our archives of a Pinacate Beetle in the genus Eleodes, also called an Acrobat Beetle or Desert Stink Beetle. We have no knowledge that the malodorous secretion produced a chemical stain on skin, so we did some research. According to the Exploring the Southwest Desert USA website: “They are well known for their comical, yet effective, defense tactics. When alarmed they stand on their heads by bending their front legs down and extending their rear legs. Depending upon the species, they exude an oily, musty secretion, which collects at the tip of the abdomen or spreads over posterior parts of the body, or they eject the reddish brown to brown secretion as a spray. Larger desert species, like E. armata and E. longicollis, can spray 10 to 20 inches. Most species can spray multiple times, if necessary. The spray is not painful unless you get it in your eyes or mouth, where it is painful, burning and temporarily blinding. It does not wash off.”

¶ Posted 11 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Acrobat Beetle

Identify Beetle
Location: Baja California – near Tecate
November 1, 2011 1:57 pm
A friend of mine is in Baja California — wondering what this bug is.
Signature: Reubin

Acrobat Beetle

Hi Reubin,
Stink Beetles in the genus Eleodes are frequently called Acrobat Beetles because they strike this pose and release a foul odor when threatened.

¶ Posted 03 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Mealworm Beetle

Need This Bug Identified, Please
Location: Western New York State
July 8, 2011 7:02 am
Hi! I’m glad I stumbled upon your site. I’m having a problem this year with these particular bugs (beetles, perhaps?) in my home. Once, wandering around in the bathtub and three times scooting around on the kitchen floor. I’ve never seen these before, well, at least not IN my house! What exactly am I dealing with here?
Signature: Betty

Yellow Mealworm Beetle

Hi Betty,
Check the pantry. This looks like an adult Yellow Mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor. The larvae are often sold in pet stores as live food for lizards and other small carnivorous pets. The larvae will also infest stored foods like cereals and grains. There may be a box of long expired food on the back shelf in the pantry that is hosting a thriving Mealworm population. Not eating your oatmeal fast enough? You can verify this identification on BugGuide.

¶ Posted 08 July 2011 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: Household Pests

Darkling Beetle from Mexico

Leafhopper and beetle identification
Location: Huejutla de Reyes, Hidalgo, México
June 30, 2011 11:55 am
Der Bugman,
Help me with the identification of the leafhopper and the beetle as I have not managed to find anything like it in the network. Regards
Signature: Axel

Darkling Beetle

Hi Axel,
We do not recognize your beetle, and our first attempt to identify it did not produce any significant leads. though the coloration reminds us of a Ground Beetle in the family Carabidae, the form, legs and antennae remind us more of a Darkling Beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. We will check with Eric Eaton to get his opinion.

Eric Eaton provides information
Right you are, Daniel. This is indeed a darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. I just have no idea which one! That family is extremely diverse. Well, our own North American Tarpela micans looks very similar to that Mexican specimen…I do wonder if they don’t mimic the big, stinky ground beetles like the caterpillar hunters….
Eric

¶ Posted 01 July 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: Unidentified

Roughened Darkling Beetle

Coelocnemis
Location: Western Maine, USA
May 11, 2011 6:15 pm
I found this black beetle in my wood pile. We live in Western Maine if that narrows it down. Aprox. 1.5cm.
Signature: Thank you for considering, Castor Knox

Roughened Darkling Beetle

Dear Castor,
It required considerable searching before we finally identified your beetle as a Roughened Darkling Beetle, Upis ceramboides, by matching the photo to postings on BugGuide. You were on the right track with your theory that it might be in the genus Coelocnemis, because that is also classified as a Darkling Beetle in the family Tenebrionidae.

¶ Posted 12 May 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Southwestern Ironclad Beetle

Odd Black and White Beetle?
Location: Weatherford, TX
April 18, 2011 8:37 pm
I could not find out what this bug is exactly. I searched google for an hour and still could not figure it out. It’s about an inch long, white and black speckled body. Please, we would really like to know, it’s been bugging us!
Signature: Thanks For Your Time, Ashley

Southwestern Ironclad Beetle

Hi Ashley,
Since the last time we posted a photo of Zopherus nodulosus haldemani, BugGuide has added a common name to the information page. This species goes by the common name Southwestern Ironclad Beetle. The exoskeleton is extremely hard, indicating that it has adapted through evolution to survive stomping and other forms of physical trauma. We are postdating this entry to post live during our vacation from the office later in the week.

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¶ Posted 23 April 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °