What are the best practices for raising Bean Weevils?

[Pastor Scott]

Hi All,

I was wondering what are some of the best practices for raising Bean Weevils?

[Niels D]

I use black eyed peas, because the bigger the bean the bigger the weevil's gonna get. Ik keep them pretty warm by putting them on the lid of an aquarium right above the lights. The warmer you keep them the faster they produce eggs and hatch and so on. I think 25 C is a good temperature, but a little colder doesn't cause any problems. It will take a little longer though. Be patient with them. One day you don't see a thing and the next day they're swarming all over. I keep them in the small cricket boxes, the ones in which they are sold. When the weevils hatch I use half of numbers for food and I put the other half on fresh beans. With the beans coming out of one box you can easely create 4 to 8 new cultures.

[Heatheranne]

Are bean weevils used as a food source? And if yes, can I ask what you'll be feeding?

Thanks!

[ViperJr]

Heather, bean beatles are used as feeders for small animals, mostly poison dart frogs and small lizards like the mourning gecko. They are really nice feeders and crazy easy to keep and breed.

[Niels D]

I'm offering them to my Notophthalmus viridescens efts from 2011.

[Heatheranne]

Ah, I see. Always learning here. I had never heard of them until now. Thanks!

[Pastor Scott]

Thanks so much. I put them in grande starbucks cups that I tape up the slits and pock pen holes in. I might not be keeping them warm enough. I think around 70 in my laundry room. When I set up a new culture they all die off about 3 weeks in and then in a week or two later they start to reapear. I then harvest them for a month or so. Then the beans looked like they all have holes in them and a little dry. There is a light tan dust kind of stuff that starts to apear. Then I throw it out. I make 4 new cultures a week. I would like to use less containers and produce more beettles. I have 28 adult Poison Dart Frogs and Mantellas to feed.