This is how i have been keeping my
Creophilus maxillosus, The hairy rove beetle. I keep the adults in a 24 oz tupperware container, with 2-3 inches of very moist/wet coconut fiber. I started out with 3 adults, I think 2 males and one female. The female laid eggs in the coconut fiber, usually at the bottom of the cage. I separated the eggs into this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8cVfy_iAzZM653QEVzEozKT8N_jDRp6lWBsN5PAX4XR3ZHjHY1Kg_1rpxqy5uuln9ukNzmmkrvqg64hJ0fMkb7wrckKuzSojE2gRE-OJQsTn-wfrRet1Gh4PA8g-FpDuGECiUKJgHA4/w640-h480/Rovebeetlecage%231.JPG)
I put the eggs in the top left cell, which has a thin layer of moist coconut fiber in it. When the eggs hatch, I separate the larva and put them in the other cells. 2 larva per cell, depending on the cell size and larva size. The bigger the larva get, the less friendly they are towards cage mates. I keep the larva on half an inch of coconut fiber,which I keep moist.The larva eat dead mealworms, they are too weak to eat most live bugs, except maggots, which is what they eat in the wild. I gave them pieces of toilet paper rolls to hide under. Here are some pics of the larva:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZ3DqIScuRyMveNGmdfjYyAeAd7_GzHzXZOUu5RcnoUTPgWDafH2KUcPI-2PhtPKxxkv4OIREw8VevcOsAn4j49QtikJOvIH8prUfw-6LCQr-mn44mX6q7q7JNxCUtVSy4GKRgm0LD-E/w640-h386/C.maxlarva3.JPG) |
Medium larva |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTW-M0cjTMh2iHC3QzNbYMO8G7wiDAkzmJ1JeurTkPMI_P6eXx7sfJ6AKM2D2QbToMZDmv6F1dovrxHxz9-upGaXMmmS4tU-5MIki2TkPIZT6LLS-Bmxmo1KnWjKINVc4pIEfGsiKONH4/w640-h440/C.maxlarva2.JPG) |
Large larva |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Afie9EoGji3o1sh4ba4PyWJYcqbLGdGSRqHbhJCv9IXmP9XsPbO3lXPHsjoCCcUhc92o5WlEAuyLE_BeoUocrjDn2GQfENwqSMlcCNQra0JnFFacxy7_Lz4PmRmd2L94jQeiEDL6pO8/w640-h371/C.maxlarva1.JPG) |
Large larva with unusual reddish brown head |
After roughly 11 days of semi-daily feeding, the larva start to look for a place to pupate. For pupation I put the larva in small cages (baby food container sized), with an inch of moist compressed coco-fiber. The larva dig to the bottom and construct a pupal cell. Here are some pics of the pupa:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lYWkp4Gop3ZMmksoKfDK-4s81zPZQWI_BP2LhCSskJSzQ-c0bDnZ9Q2Pyb9GtzIsHuu-NhEOfozFZrjWQgqgdgx8yKWzGvp3v1eHKsJI8Wy3nfUYk212RQCwi2z2e2WSFui0RV_hgvk/w595-h640/C.maxpupa%231.JPG) |
Front view |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9EJRUQXTfnlkH75MOXZxE6qgIZFCbHmgNk4eLkjT1aBZK0WvtnqqSt32q1wuRdocbjW-1KgOPkNrfZEtisC58OnIQMO2U58ltwoYz3GRjak7n0TPSB_GG4OmLejFv-B4WPyfNR59-EE/w616-h640/C.maxpupa%232.JPG) |
Back view |
After about a week and a half of waiting, the pupae turn black. 2-3 days later, it ecloses:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_oQFS7CxDdTtCOvTUJOSUeL2uvsSGvj7fEfFGk88c4i5hFXchou8zOpWUpSqPPE4OI5JHpBpXYhqmBnwyr-TDpSh69R5i5N0rOdoQHGyPKiangDnJsqiffEmFXNpaWcu79z1QKyRVIQ/w597-h640/C.maxpupa%233.JPG) |
Pupa 2 days before emergence |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWDZoWAVju2b6TLYj_ehREXG5dT_NTL2pVlTC0UTkBkg8-RprxmCq7aI81V-cD0qFtB3nHW2xMAvxynGJ9PDC45h67Hd-fFXIuLJ5GCmZpr7qZY_GmD-WxjJSTp3EIGdnK364upgwiOg/w640-h597/C.maxadult%231.JPG) |
Adult shortly after emergence |
Breeding these has been fun, and not too challenging, and I hope I can keep on breeding them for years to come! Will keep you guys updated on these!
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