Moved from Coelometopinae.

Moved from Synchroa punctata.

Moved from Synchroa Bark Beetles. Moved per request here. Should this image be moved back to Coelometopinae where the rest of the linked images currently reside?

Moved from Coelometopinae.

Moved from Darkling Beetles.

This larva is still alive and vigorous. I have seen it romping over the surface of the rotten wood debris in the container, rearing up every so often to determine if there is anything above it. When handled, it makes agressive use of its posterior spines, prodding my fingers to get me to leave it alone. I have washed it, scrubbed it with a bottle brush and rubbed it with my fingers trying to free it from some of the young mites it carries, all to little avail. After a minute or so of fighting me, it goes catatonic for a while, sometimes for over a minute after I stop handling it.

Besides the adult Eleodes sp., the larva now has some small ground beetles for company: a dozen or so Bembi*dion varie*gatum and one Notio*philus sp. The normal habitat for B. varie*gatum is sand, which their markings enable them to blend in with when they freeze motion. They won't have any enemies in the container though. I introduced them in hopes they would gobble up the rampant population of spring*tails. I'm afraid I haven't watched them enough to say if they're eating them at all. The springtails swarm over any foodstuffs I place in the container.