Common Name: Giant Striped Metallic Fruit Beetle
Scientific Name: Dicronorrhina derbyana layardi

Size: Larva
Status: Captive Bred

Beautiful metallic green beetles with ornate markings and bold white stripes, approx. 4cm. Male has prominent horn. Adults feed on fruit., larvae feed on leaf litter and rotten wood. Easy to keep and breed.

How I keep mine

This is a general guide as to how I keep my  various tropical fruit eating beetles. I tend to keep them in fairly deep plastic boxes (24 litre, opaque, purchased from Wilko or Tesco). I cut out most of the lid (hubby does it with a saw) and then place a piece of netting across the top of the box and clip the lid  (now just a frame with a hole in the middle) onto the box. The box is filled to a depth of approximately  12-14cm with peat or coir and topped with leaf litter and rotten wood (collected from our local woods, Oak, beech or other hardwoods).  If possible I try to position the box near to a light during the day. I have high shelves so I can put them near the strip lights but you could use a table lamp. Never put your box in sunlight as it will surely overheat. If you are using a tank with a light built in, it is important that the beetles cannot fly into the bulb and damage themselves, they do seem to enjoy a light above them but also do ok without it. I sometimes use Exo Terra vivariums, they are great as they have a sealed light unit above. I don't use a heat mat for the beetles but they require warmth. My bug room is kept at about 25c. I feed small pieces of fruit/vegetables once a week. The adults will eat it (they especially like banana) and the larvae will drag it down as they like to live in a 'compost heap' environment.

Fruit beetles generally breed well in captivity but humidity levels are very important and this is where I sometimes fail (still have plenty to learn). The tiny white eggs are laid in the substrate and soon hatch into little white larvae. The larvae don't seem too fussy but the adults don't like being damp and neither do the cocoons. The larvae form cocoons around themselves when they change into a pupa. They remain in this stage for a few weeks and of course cannot be seen. If the conditions are correct they will emerge as beautiful, bright, often metallic adults but if they get too dry or too damp at this stage they may perish.  I spray the boxes with tepid water when I feed them each week but sometimes the food alone provides enough moisture. Remember fruit beetles fly well so shut all your windows and doors when tending to them!