Here we are discussing some terminologies you can encounter while rearing scarab beetles.
DEVELOPMENT Life Cycle: A cycle of insect life from eggs to adult insects.
L1: Very first larval stage since egg. (Alternately, First Instar)
L2: Second larval stage since eggs, mold once. (Alternately, Second Instar).
L3: Third larval stage since eggs, mold twice. (Alternately, Third Instar).
*L4 and L5 are same concept, not available in scarab beetles.
Larva: Consider it as caterpillar for insect species in Order Coleoptera (beetles). The term caterpillars are usually for Lepidoptera (butterflies/moths), maggots are usually for Diptera (flies). (pl. larvae).
Pupal Cell: A room-like space where larva is preparing to pupate.
Pupa: A stage after being larva, a stage to prepare to be adult insects. (pl. pupae).
Pupate: an event of molting to become pupa from larva.
Emergence: an event of molting to become adult insects from pupa. (v. emerge).
Imago: A final stage of insects, as an adult, but English term is often used: adult.
Maturity: a time where freshly emerged insects take to become matured. An emerged insects cannot mate immediately. They need time until they get adapt to new body and food consumption.
MORPHOLOGY
*Please refer to the previous article in HERE for more general terms and location of each.
Teleodonte: long horned, usually featured on major males. (Term exclusively used for stag beetles).
Mesodonte: medium size horned, usually featured on medium sized males. (Term exclusively used for stag beetles).
Amphiodonte: short horned, usually featured on minor males. (Term exclusively used for stag beetles).
BREEDING
Substrate: a food for larvae, and a bedding for adult insects. made of natural wood materials, usually referred to fermented ones. This term sometimes called as sawdust, wood flake, flake soil.
Insect Jelly: A food for adult insects commercially fabricated for their nutrition consumption.
Rotten Log: A rotten wood (or mushroom harvested wood) for female stag beetles to lay eggs inside. Depending on species this log may necessary for ovipositing.
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