Chameleons eat predominantly pollinators in the wild
- Thread starter PetNcs
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Redman
Avid Member
Thank you for posting this vid. The beetles look awesome. I wish there was a good, safe, culturable analog here in the U.S. (if there is, I don't know of that beetle!). I even thought about the Japanese Beetles that are a pest invasion here as a possible food source, but all of the pesticides used on them make me write them off.
I even started collecting and feeding bumblebees this past summer, and my chams went crazy for them. And for those who will caution me against insects with stingers, I carefully monitored more than 50 instances of them being eaten, with not one single injury or issue. They seem to instinctually know that they need to chew these guys really fast to kill them. I like having a better way to get bee pollen to my chams than feeding it to crickets like I do most of the time.
Makes me want to investigate beekeeping with a double bonus of honey and cham feeders.
I will probably catch grief for this, but that is the nature of opinion and discussion.
I even started collecting and feeding bumblebees this past summer, and my chams went crazy for them. And for those who will caution me against insects with stingers, I carefully monitored more than 50 instances of them being eaten, with not one single injury or issue. They seem to instinctually know that they need to chew these guys really fast to kill them. I like having a better way to get bee pollen to my chams than feeding it to crickets like I do most of the time.
Makes me want to investigate beekeeping with a double bonus of honey and cham feeders.
I will probably catch grief for this, but that is the nature of opinion and discussion.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
A couple years ago I discovered as well that my chams went nuts for bees/wasps. Never had a sting occur. They seemed to pick up on the fact they needed to chew them fast. My cham lives outside in a huge cage with large enough screen holes to allow all sorts of critters through. Stinkbugs are also a favorite of his.
As for beetles, what about harlequin flower beetles? They're pretty easy to breed.
PetNcs
Chameleon Enthusiast
try to get the Japanese beetles and breed them, then there will be no concern of pesticides...
i like your approach...
Majority of ahemen chameleon food in the wild are bees and wasps, so they know what to do
))
Redman
Avid Member
In my area, they really swarm the corn tassles in the summer, and I am thinking that might be a good pollen source, but I have NO idea what farmers put on their corn these days.
I am thinking you are right, and they are so varied in food sources that they could be cultured. But with beetles, and their chemical defenses, you just never know what is good, bad, or bad tasting for your animals.
I guess I have time to plan before it's warm enough to collect any. LOL
This is very interesting. Really like the short time to maturity! http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/harlequin_bug.HTM
After more wiki reading on these, I really want to give them a go. Damn you James! LOL
Also, I do see that these aren't the same as the FLOWER version. I am looking those up now. Maybe, hopefully?, they could be cultured together? Will know more then I research their diet, of course.
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jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yeah @Redman I'm referring to the flower beetles. I have some grubs that I hope didn't die, waiting to pop up as beetles. The grubs eat rotten leaf litter and the beetles eat fruit like banana. They're nice because they can be kept communally without the larvae eating each other. They also pupate without much more. @cyberlocc is working with them as well I know.
Redman
Avid Member
Where did you guys get your starter stock on these, if you don't mind me asking? I think I want to get both of these, the scarab ones you are talking about as well as the stinkbug type I posted a link to above. They have different diets and should be interesting to see how they compare in reproductive efficiency and palatability by the chams.
Seems like an easy project to get going if I can find suitable starters.
Seems like an easy project to get going if I can find suitable starters.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Well let me know how it goes for you. The stinkbug type would be very cool too.
So how about, just checked my beetle bin and of all days, a couple finally emerged!
And I got them from bugs in cyberspace
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
The beetles in the video, are a morph of Pachnoda (African Fruit/Flower beetles). Sadly we are not allowed to Import Beetles into the US, with permits, and such. However we have a Flower Beetle of our Own, as James told you.
Gymnetis thula (AKA: Harlequin Flower Beetle)
As James said, bugs in cyber space has them sometimes, and hopefully I will too soon. I have 24 Larvae that I am hoping will start to emerge any day now. I started with beetles that were of old age (for them, they only live 6 months), and have reared the larvae to L3, and have a few starting to pupate.
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yep I have seen these before in the hobby, its a Pachnoda , I am 90% sure. It has the markings and the diet is consistent (Pollen, Fruit, Sugary stuff). I will ask around and see if I can get an Exact ID of what type of Pachnoda it is.
coastal_chameleon
Avid Member
the larva look a lot like june bug larva , and don't june bugs have the same diet ?
those things are everywhere here in California !! my male panther has take down a couple when I let him free range in my back yard !
those things are everywhere here in California !! my male panther has take down a couple when I let him free range in my back yard !
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
Most scarab larvae looks very similar, so its hard to judge by larvae.
Phyllophaga (June Bug Genus) are new world scarabs only, AFAIK.
June bugs around here, are much much larger than the Harlequins or Pachnoda, which are only about 1/2 inch long.
Even if not Pachnoda, they are pretty much 100% Scarabs, and Flower Scarabs (or Fruit) judging by their diet. So June Bugs, Harlequins, are quite similar US versions.
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Bigsky
Established Member
June/May beetle larvae feed on plant roots. In the Philippines, scarabid beetles were feeding in tree foliage, and people were capturing them by using sweep nets. They were for human food.
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
Good point, but June Bugs are Scarabs I believe.
However Flower/Fruit Scarabs Larvae eat Decaying Leaf Litter, and decaying/fermented Wood. Not live trees and plants.
What kind of scarab are they eating? Do they eat the Larvae or the Beetles? Thats interesting to know, that humans eat them. I have heard that Reptiles dont care much for the beetles as they have a bitter taste, have you ever eaten one? It would seem chameleons enjoy them, but apparently some reptiles dont care for them.
Timon and Pumba defiantly make them look appeasing, the big fat creme filled kind
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cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
So I was close, but no cigar .
Best ID so far, Euryomia sp. or E. argentea.
So was right about one part, its a Flower Chaffer, Flower Scarab, Flower Beetle, whatever you want to call it.
Diet, Colors, Size, all similar to G. caseyi in the US, may be others but thats the only one I know of in the hobby. In the hobby for over the pond folks, the Pachnoda would be good (I think Pachnoda are in Madagascar as well.) AKA "Sun Beetles" different color morphs if you look hard enough but P. marginata are easy to get across the pond, sold as feeders/pets.
Japanese Beetles and June Bugs, tend to eat more foliage and Fruit, G. caseyi and Euryomia eat pollens and fruit, and decaying wood/leaves as larvae (vs roots).
Never tried feeding G. caseyi straight pollen, there is pollen in the jellies I feed, and brown sugar, and honey, but never tried straight pollen. They should take it, it would have to be flower pollen though, not bee pollen, I dont think they can eat the bee pollen due to the casings. Some Flower Scarabs will eat Bee/Wasp Larvae in the wild, to extract the pollen from them. I will try some flower pollen when mine emerge and see if they take to it.
.Best ID so far, Euryomia sp. or E. argentea.
So was right about one part, its a Flower Chaffer, Flower Scarab, Flower Beetle, whatever you want to call it.
Diet, Colors, Size, all similar to G. caseyi in the US, may be others but thats the only one I know of in the hobby. In the hobby for over the pond folks, the Pachnoda would be good (I think Pachnoda are in Madagascar as well.) AKA "Sun Beetles" different color morphs if you look hard enough but P. marginata are easy to get across the pond, sold as feeders/pets.
Japanese Beetles and June Bugs, tend to eat more foliage and Fruit, G. caseyi and Euryomia eat pollens and fruit, and decaying wood/leaves as larvae (vs roots).
Never tried feeding G. caseyi straight pollen, there is pollen in the jellies I feed, and brown sugar, and honey, but never tried straight pollen. They should take it, it would have to be flower pollen though, not bee pollen, I dont think they can eat the bee pollen due to the casings. Some Flower Scarabs will eat Bee/Wasp Larvae in the wild, to extract the pollen from them. I will try some flower pollen when mine emerge and see if they take to it.
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Bigsky
Established Member
Good point, but June Bugs are Scarabs I believe.
However Flower/Fruit Scarabs Larvae eat Decaying Leaf Litter, and decaying/fermented Wood. Not live trees and plants.
What kind of scarab are they eating? Do they eat the Larvae or the Beetles? Thats interesting to know, that humans eat them. I have heard that Reptiles dont care much for the beetles as they have a bitter taste, have you ever eaten one? It would seem chameleons enjoy them, but apparently some reptiles dont care for them.
Timon and Pumba defiantly make them look appeasing, the big fat creme filled kind
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