USA Phanaeus

Discussions on beetles
Post Reply
User avatar
58chevy
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 376
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 5:58 pm
Location: Houston, TX USA
United States of America

USA Phanaeus

Post by 58chevy »

Top image, middle row, left to right: triangularis (male), vindex (male), vindex (female), triangularis texensis (female)
Second image, top row: difformis (male), difformis (male), amithaon (male), amithaon (male)
Third image, top row: quadridens (male), quadridens (male), quadridens (female), vindex (female), triangularis (male), triangularis (male),
Attachments
P triangularis texensis, vindex 2.jpg
P triangularis texensis, vindex 2.jpg (323.44 KiB) Viewed 882 times
IMG_3870-difformis, amithaon.jpg
IMG_3870-difformis, amithaon.jpg (295.13 KiB) Viewed 882 times
IMG_3869-quadridens, triangularis.jpg
IMG_3869-quadridens, triangularis.jpg (299.99 KiB) Viewed 882 times
User avatar
vabrou
Junior Member
Junior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 11:22 am
United States of America

Re: USA Phanaeus

Post by vabrou »

Interestingly, we capture two species of Phanaeus here at our home where we operated dung beetle traps for about 40 years. The two species are Phanaeus vindex and Phanaeus triangularis. Few persons are aware that about 35 years ago we lived off of our earlier life savings when I returned to college full time for 3 years to obtain a new degree. We lived off of selling insects from our hundreds of traps during these lean years. Sold thousands of Saturnids, sphingids, catocala, coleoptera, etc, etc. Our biggest sellers were the dung beetles and we increased our traps to running up to 88 traps here at our home location most every year since 1978 to 2020. We sold the dung beetles, pinned and labeled, bulk lots of hundreds minimum, and washed specimens in 70% Isopropyl alcohol 200-500 each jar. We accepted no orders for less than $100.00. Lots of amateur collectors would ask how much do I sell my Phanaeus specimens? I would reply 50 pair for $100.00. Some would tell me 'I only want the males'. I would reply by telling them I'll give you two options. I can let you have the [pairs for $2.00 each, 50 pair minimum order] or I can let you have the males only [males only for $2.00 each, 50 males minimum order] which do you want?

Who could have ever predicted that operating these dung beetle traps would support us for years, but what I told few persons is that Dung beetles paid for 2 pick-up trucks and lots of other things. A few years back I purchased my 12th digital camera a 36.5 MP Pentax K-1 Mark II Weather Resistant DSLR with 3.2 TFT LCD, Body and multiple lenses, etc. People ask me how much did it cost? I reply 3200 dung beetles. For 40 years I have sold dung beetles for $1.00 each.

Like everything I do, I developed my own methods for capturing dung beetles. I do not dig any holes as a rule, but for certain smaller species usual pitfall traps do work better. But, for the majority of the species, I purchased about 100+ kitchen sink plastic dishpans and large plastic bowls at the dollar tree store for $1.00 each. I just place them every 50-100 feet along trails and open areas filled with potable water [We have our own water well] and bait containers in the center. Certain species like diurnal Phanaeus species require traps in direct sunlight, others are nocturnal in activities and those species are captured in traps only in shaded forest areas. See attached images.
Attachments
~400 Phaneus vindex - Louisiana. red.jpg
~400 Phaneus vindex - Louisiana. red.jpg (519.68 KiB) Viewed 721 times
DSCF2556 ad red.jpg
DSCF2556 ad red.jpg (493.86 KiB) Viewed 721 times
2009-08-06 Abita Springs, La red.jpg
2009-08-06 Abita Springs, La red.jpg (274.13 KiB) Viewed 721 times
Chuck
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 885
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:30 pm
Solomon Islands

Re: USA Phanaeus

Post by Chuck »

What do you guys use for bait?

I've read that human waste is an excellent bait, but my wife puts up with a lot, I think she'd draw the line before my collecting our poo and storing it even in the garage.
User avatar
vabrou
Junior Member
Junior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 11:22 am
United States of America

Re: USA Phanaeus

Post by vabrou »

I have tried lots of dung from: horses, cattle, and other farm animals, but human dung is the easiest to obtain on any given day. Get yourself a plastic paint pail that you can fit a 1-gallon zip lock plastic bag over. Place this below the toilet seat. Thent take the bait bag, dump it into a five gallon plastic pail with a rubber-like O-ring on the lid. Keep it closed outside only unless you are using it, but still keep it in outdoor conditions regardless. My decades in the making recipe is simple, add equal volume of non-chlorinated potable water, another words 50-50 percentage wise. In dung beetle literature swine poop works just as well as human poop. By adding H2O the poop bait, it can be placed in empty gallon milk jugs with lids, and thus easily transportable and easily and quickly poured into the bait containers of the traps, and it can last two days in the oppressive heat of summer months. Do not add urine to your bait. I use my garden tractor with an attached cart to carry around the various spare traps, baits and chemicals when I make my daily trap rounds usually late afternoon hours.
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in