Beetles

 Welcome to the my page on Beetles I work with, I focus primarily on more actively detritivorous and "Bioactive" friendly species, this page may seem small for the time being but more species to come in 2025! I focus mostly on working with Darkling Beetles but will be beginning to diversify into more groups in 2025! If you'd like to make any orders/inquiries, scroll to the bottom of the page to see shipping and contact info!

                                                                                                                                                  

Darkling Beetles (Tenebrionidae)

                                                                                                                                                 

Rough-lipped Darkling Beetle

(Eleodes hispilibaris)

Captive Bred & Born Beetles, NFS at this time, expected est. 2025

 

One of Canada's largest native species of Darkling Beetle, found in BC all the way to Manitoba. These beetles prefer much drier climates than most, needing high ventilation enclosures in captivity, not particularly picky about temperature but will be more active the warmer it is. Larvae do need a range of dry to damp substrate unlike the adults needing full ventilation and doing well on dry substrate for days without direct water. Hispilibaris are known to live upwards of 3-4 years as adults, generally taking 7-8 months to reach maturity from their larval state, this species, like many others, are communal! You can keep many of this singular species or with other desert species in an enclosure together. 

                                                                                                                                                   

Extricated Darkling Beetle

(Eleodes extricata)

Captive Bred & Born, NFS at this time

 

Very similar to Eleodes hispilibaris in care but about half the adult size and have very smooth elytra with no ribbing along it. Species is much more skittish than the hispilibaris being more prone to run away when disturbed or handled but will be just as active. Larvae of this species is what makes them stand out, being very small and wiry even for a beetle their size, not even growing as large as mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) before they go into pupation. Lifespan for this species seems relatively shorter at approximately 1-2 years as adults, same approximate 7-8 months to mature. Like other members of the Eleodes genus, species is communal and can be kept in large numbers or with other species.

                                                                                                                                                  

Stout Darkling Beetles

(Eleodes pimelioides)

Actively Captive Bred, Culture Crash

 

These are the first species of desert darkling beetles I ever worked with! A personal favourite species of mine but unfortunately my culture had crashed, they seemingly produce a very low amount of offspring even with many adults in an enclosure. These quirky beetles are quite interesting as they seemingly burrow more often than other species I've worked with and pack in together in small dens. Lifespan is very similar to Eleodes extricata at about 1-2 years as adults though not nearly as skittish or hyperactive as they tend to be. Will be looking to restart my culture in 2025 if at all possible, will update page when the time comes.

                                                                                                                                                  

Pie-Dish Darkling Beetles

(Embaphion muricatum)

CBB Adults $20

CBB Larvae (x8) $30

 

One of the poster boys and fan favourites of the Darkling Beetle hobby! Pie-Dishes are one of the most visibly eye-catching and unique species in Canada for their strangely shaped exoskeleton. Though not the same genus as Eleodes beetles, their care is pretty similar, however they don't have as much tolerance for humidity spikes as many native Eleodes species do, like it very dry with high ventilation and can struggle with humidity is too high or air being stagnant with a lack of air flow. Larvae needs are similar to other desert beetles needing that range of a damp to dry. Species is seemingly the most active I've worked with so far almost always moving around on the search for food, and even though they are communal, in many cases they will pull their food away to safety and eat in solitude unlike other species that most of the time will swarm food together. Lifespan is roughly 2 years for adults, with larvae taking only about 5-6 months to mature so they will grow faster than Eleodes but may not live as long as larger beetles.

                                                                                                                                                  

Forked Fungus Beetles

(Bolitotherus cornutus)

CBB Adults: $25, Male & Female Pair: $45

 

 One of the very few "Specialists" I keep, species lives, feeds and breeds exclusively on a handful of polypore mushroom species, most commonly being Artist's Conk. Care for this species generally falls in the range of temperate to humid conditions, being extremely easy to care for, literally all they need is the mushrooms. In a proper bioactive terrarium they make a nice addition for a more "Showy" display species that won't harm anything, they're not necessarily "Beneficial" in the traditional sense of a terrarium of breaking down debris, but them breaking down given mushroom hosts would fertilize the soil of your enclosure while giving it a more woodland look, they can also supposedly eat forms of biofilms but their diet requires the mushrooms at least. The mushrooms used for the species are generally wild caught, as I have yet to see ways to grow/recreate the conditions needed to grow their specific polypore hosts but it is on my list to find a way to culture them in captivity.

                                                                                                                                                 

 

Forest Darkling Beetles

(Neatus tenebrioides)

Captive Bred, NFS at this time

 

 One of the more odd but seemingly normal native Darkling Beetles on this list! One of my favourite species, they're not too distantly related to your common Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), but unlike them, being a species actively bred in artificial conditions like a grain pest, these beetles do prefer/need naturalistic conditions to culture in captivity, preferring moderate to high humidity. These beetles love decomposing tree bark, it's why they can actually be found in extremely old trees that are beginning to die or have already died in parts of their wood, they can decompose rotting wood in much earlier stages than other detritivores like Millipedes, Stag/Scarab Beetles, etc. Also, their diet is generalist like many cultured species, but will actively take to eating food many other generalist Darkling Beetles won't touch or will barely touch, such as Mushrooms, Lichen and Dead Leaf Litter, which makes sense being a woodland specialized species that's able to decompose nearly all forms of common detritus. Lifespan for the species is more of a rough estimate based on related species of upwards of a year with proper care. Although not for sale quite yet, I think this species has some of the most potential in the "Bioactive" hobby being a humid tolerant species.

                                                                                                                                                  

Buffalo Beetles

(Alphitobius diaperinus)

Breeding, NFS at this time

One of the smallest Darkling Beetles I work with! These guys are effectively a "Micro" species if kept in a bioactive enclosure, acting as a small clean up crew species. Buffalo Beetles prefer drier conditions, which make them great cohabitatants with other arid invertebrates and are known to be kept alongside Dermestid Beetles in some cases! Species has a reddish-black exoskeleton and can be quite skiddish and easy to disturb compared to some other Darkling Beetles.

                                                                                                                                                  

Dermestid Beetles (Dermestidae)

                                                                                                                                                   

 

Hide Beetles 

(Dermestes maculatus)

 x10 adults: $15

 

These are the first Dermestid Beetles I've had the pleasure of working with thus far! Although they're primarily used for taxidermy and as clean-up crew for feeder insects, mainly cleaning up dead beetles, crickets & roaches that have died. They do show some activity and potential use in terrariums! As I have actively used multiple species in drier enclosures, though they may not be actively eating dead insects or animals like they do in culture/nature, they can be supplemented with freeze dried minnows in a tank as it will help recreate conditions of a full body animal for them to live off of for sometime. Though they are more off used for Invertebrate Bioactives, there's potential for them in an arid enclosure feeding off of shed skin, although it is a time specific food source, you may need to supplement them with necessary proteins to keep them happy.

                                                                                                                                                 

Peppered Dermestid

(Dermestes undulatus)

Not for Sale at this time

 

Species is the newest to my collection for Dermestids so it'll be sometime before they're available, I expect mid 2025 to start selling them, they take to range of proteins but of course using animal proteins is optimal, this is generally why most species are kept alongside feeder insects. Similar to my comments on maculatus, can be kept in the same conditions in a bioactive enclosure and will be more active the warmer it is. These are one of the prettiest species of Dermestids showing quite intricate patterning on their bodies. 

                                                                                                                                                 

Spider Beetles (Ptinidae)

                                                                                                                                                 

Shiny Spider Beetles

(Mezium affine)

x5 Adults: $6

Some of the most unique beetles in the hobby! Also, native to Canada! Though they are primarily bred as a feeder insect, they have use as a clean up crew as well! In drier, more arid enclosures, they will actively eat dried food scraps as will as nibble on any other dry forms of detritus like dried rotten wood, though to optimize results, putting a piece of dog food in the enclosure somewhere can expedite the breeding process for them. For actively culturing them you can use oats, dog food & misc. dried goods.

                                                                                                                                                 

 Shipping Information & Placing Orders

 Only species that are available for sale have prices below the photos, if listed with N/A they're currently out of stock. Shipping is available from Spring to Fall, end of November generally, spring is determined by weather. Shipping is a flat $30 express rate Canada Wide through Canada Post, or local delivery is available for $15 for me to deliver within the first 50km. Local meetup is also an option as well as pickup at events I vend at. For placing orders, contact me directly on Instagram or E-mail me at planetinvertscanada@gmail.com. Orders are shipped every Monday/Tuesday pending Holidays.