Dorcus Schenklingi
The Dorcus Schenklingi mainly inhabit Taiwan and is classified as a specie prohibited from being taken abroad. Recently, it has been confirmed that a subspecies exists in China. The male's body shape resembles that of a large domestic Dorcus beetle, which leads to highly varied opinions among beetle breeders regarding its appeal. Their temperament is extremely aggressive, and if a female refuses to mate, the male will attack without hesitation. Therefore, it is recommended to use hand-pairing for mating. Under no circumstances should the male and female be kept in the same container for an extended period. The females have a glossy appearance, and among the Dorcus genus females, they are considered the most beautiful. The beetles used for pairing should be at least six months past their emergence.
Regarding the Shenkling breeding setup, they lay eggs in both substrate and wood, so both should be provided. Choose relatively soft oviposition wood that indents slightly when pressed with a fingernail and is thicker in size. An egg-laying substrate made of finely textured oak or beech is preferable. The females often create oviposition sites by gnawing into the wood or lay eggs around it. The ideal temperature is considered to be around 22°C, but during the egg-laying process described on this page, the temperature was approximately 30°C. Although Shenkling beetles are thought to prefer cooler climates due to their habitat at higher altitudes, they seem to have a fairly wide range of temperature tolerance, which implies that they might be relatively easy to breed.
Larvae can be raised without much concern, thriving in both substrate and mushroom-based culture. The use of mushroom-based culture tends to result in faster growth, but they generally take longer to emerge compared to Dorcus curvidens or Hoppei at the same temperature. One point of caution in Shenkling breeding is the occurrence of incomplete emergence in males. This issue is also common with Antaeus beetles, but Shenkling males frequently experience it as well. Special attention should be paid when they create a pupation chamber at the bottom of the container. Even if larvae are lightweight, the large mandibles of Shenkling males grow straight, so decent size can be achieved. The Shenkling beetle is reasonably priced and, once reared, is considered a truly fascinating species.
