How To Rear Pachnoda Beetles
Pachnoda beetles are one of the easiest beetles to keep, there are a few species that take a little more time and care but most are very simple to keep.
Some stunning species are:
Pachnoda marginata
Pachnoda marginata peregrina
Pachnoda ephippiata
Pachnoda aemula
You may find some Pachnoda beetles larvae available to buy from our online shop at The Bug Jungle
What Is The Best Leaf Litter To Use For Your Pachnoda Beetles
Leaf litter, flake soil, substrate, whatever you want to call it, it’s important to get this bit right. This is what your adult Pachnoda beetles will live in, what the females will lay their eggs in and what the larvae will eat.
Beetle larvae like a DEEP substrate.
Leaf litter is made up of decaying wood and leaves from the surrounding trees and the best leaf litter to use for your pachnoda larvae is from oak, beech or sweet chestnut.
The area will will soft and springy underfoot, if you feel that, brush away the top layer of leaves and underneath should look something like this…
All of this is the “gold dust” leaf litter that will pack your pachnoda larvae full of goodness.
The bottom of your enclosure wants to be damp enough so that when you squeeze the leaf litter in your hand it does NOT clump into a ball. The top wants to be on the dryer side so you have a gradient from a damp bottom to a dry top.
REMEMBER, seek land owners permission before taking anything from nature – In the UK, it is illegal to take anything form nature without land owners permission as per “Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981”
What To Feed Your Pachnoda Beetle ADULTS
Adults pachnoda beetles love to eat a variert of fruit, prferebaly on the riper side with top favourites being banana and orange. Pachnoda beetles will also eat apple and cucumber.
Pachnoda beetles are often called “Flower Beetles”, because they love to eat flowers which is another supplement you can offer your adult pachnoda beetles.
Protein is also important to feed your Pachnoda beetles – the better you feed your pachnoda beetles, their larvae will be.
Fish flakes are a good source of protein that your audult Pachnodas will love
What To Feed Your Pachnoda Beetles LARVAE
As well as the leaf litter your beetle larvae will be eating they will also enjoy some additional protein and again the fish flakes will work well, just sprinkle the flakes on the surface and with all the movement of the adults and larvae, the flakes will work their way down to the larvae.
Best Enclosures For Pachnoda Beetles
This is the best part, there are so many options and the only key points are that the adult beetles or larvae can’t chew their way out of the enclosure and that the enclosure is ventilated so everything can breath.
So what enclosures are best for pachnoda beetles?
– Sweet Jars – better for smaller numbers
– Glass bug tanks – better for breeding larger amounts
– Plastic faunarium – better for breeding larger amounts
It really doesn’t matter what you use as long as you have a deep substrate of a minimum of around 5 inches.
You may be interested in some of these?…
What Temperatures & Humidity For Pachnoda Beetles
Room temperature is fine for Pachnoda beetles and larvae or anywhere between 28 – 32ºC / 82 – 89ºF
The humidity for pachnoda beetles can range from 40-70% – ensure you have a gradient from a wetter bottom to a dryer top.
