Protaetia speciosissima: charasteristics and breeding
Protaetia speciosissima (Scopoli, 1786) is among the biggest of the European Cetoniinae, with a size sometimes just above 30mm. The species occurs almost solely in area's with plenty of old oak trees (Quercus sp.).
For a long time this beetle carried the name Cetonischema aeruginosa. However, in older manuscripts this beetle was described as P. speciosissima. This being the actual original description, this latter name should be used.
First of all, as with almost all beetle species under treat, is the loss of quality habitats. When old-growth oak forests are cut, it is very difficult to get the same thing back. If a clear-cut is replanted is will take a long time for the trees to grow old and develop tree hollows, which are the niche of many rare saproxylic beetles. For an oak forest, it will take at least 80 years to revive it, and often even decades more to achieve a suitable forest for these beetles. Deforestation, forestfires and fracturing of habitats further limit the possible habitats of this beetle. Thus protectig the habitats will be many times more effective than protecting the species from collectors or breeders. In a rich forest, it is near impossible to trap and net a species to local extinction (nor would that be a goal for any collector or breeder). The protection of habitats should be high up the agenda in Europe, and there are a lot of things moving to
Secondly, P. speciosissima is a typical canopy species. These prefer flying and feeding very high near the tree tops. Because of this behaviour, for a long time the presence of this species was underestimated in many area's. Trapping techniques have proven that in many habitats, this beetle is sometimes common.
A third argument is that this species is very easy to breed in captivity. With just some small collection once, the demand for this species can be supplied for years after.
In Belgium this species hasn't been observed, but does occur very close to the border both in Germany and France. There are good chances for the species to occur in the southern part of Belgium, where suitable habitats is found.
There is a good French work on the variation in this species, but it is not available on the net, so wasn't able to consult it. For those who want reference:
Bidault., J., (2014). Variations chromatiques de Protaetia (Cetonischema) speciosissima (Scopoli, 1786) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Cetonidae). Le coléopteriste, n° 17 (3), p. 151-152.
Below one of my own breeding, orange and green colouration, for as far as I could understand, I suppose this is referred to as var "aerocuprea".
Sexual dismorphism:
These beetles show a clear dismporhism between sexes. The easiest trick to determine the sex is checking the size of the back tarsi compared to the size of the back tibia. Males have back tarsi of the same length as the tibia. Probably an adaptment to their mating methods (see later). Females have shorter back tarsi than their back tibia.
Another method can be found by looking at the last ventral segment. This segment is rather flat in males. Furthermore in males the centre of this segment as seen ventrally has no punctuation in the middle. In females this kast segment is more pointed, and as seen ventrally, is completely punctuated.
In march the beetles start to get active again as temperatures rise, and start feeding again. They construct pupal cells in may or early june. Depending on the moment they construct their cells, they hatch in late may, june or july.
This species tends to get yellow and creamy quite early in L3, but this isn't an immediate sign of pupation nearing. In my experience with this species the larvae turned yellow already in early april, while I expect the mostpart of them to build their cells in late may.
I stress again that hibernating this species isn't strictly needed, but only makes for less reproduction.
Substrate doesn't have any special demands, but they do tend to grow much bigger if a high proportion of very soft white rotten wood is added. I have myself never used additives with this species.
Adult life for this beetles is easy as in most captive bred subfamilies. They feed on fruit and jelly, all the usual. When mating the males hold on with their back legs (hence the long tarsi), and lift their body almost vertical to the body of the female. Quite a sight to see :)
Adults can live very long. My current generation is partly captive beetles and partly wild. Some of the wild ones are still very active, despite being adult for almost a year now. Other breeders report males living for up to two years! This also makes it possible to make certain charasteristics more prolific by breeding a male in with one of his offspring, highlighting a certain trait. Options however, I haven't done it myself.
So far for this species :)
Will update this text if I find more relevant texts about them, or have some exciting new things with them in breeding
For a long time this beetle carried the name Cetonischema aeruginosa. However, in older manuscripts this beetle was described as P. speciosissima. This being the actual original description, this latter name should be used.
Conservation
In many European countries this species is protected. However there are three things we have to consider when we talk about the distribution and survivalchances of this beetle:First of all, as with almost all beetle species under treat, is the loss of quality habitats. When old-growth oak forests are cut, it is very difficult to get the same thing back. If a clear-cut is replanted is will take a long time for the trees to grow old and develop tree hollows, which are the niche of many rare saproxylic beetles. For an oak forest, it will take at least 80 years to revive it, and often even decades more to achieve a suitable forest for these beetles. Deforestation, forestfires and fracturing of habitats further limit the possible habitats of this beetle. Thus protectig the habitats will be many times more effective than protecting the species from collectors or breeders. In a rich forest, it is near impossible to trap and net a species to local extinction (nor would that be a goal for any collector or breeder). The protection of habitats should be high up the agenda in Europe, and there are a lot of things moving to
Secondly, P. speciosissima is a typical canopy species. These prefer flying and feeding very high near the tree tops. Because of this behaviour, for a long time the presence of this species was underestimated in many area's. Trapping techniques have proven that in many habitats, this beetle is sometimes common.
A third argument is that this species is very easy to breed in captivity. With just some small collection once, the demand for this species can be supplied for years after.
In Belgium this species hasn't been observed, but does occur very close to the border both in Germany and France. There are good chances for the species to occur in the southern part of Belgium, where suitable habitats is found.
Charaseristics of P. speciosissima:
As said earlier, this species measures to a maximum of 30mm. It has smooth elytrae and pronotum, which are bright metallic. The colouration can vary, but is generally green with sometimes orange shine depending on the angle in which you look to it. From Croatia there are high red (var "incerta"), black (var. "nigra"), brown-copper (var "pseudomoseri") and blue forms known, with mixed forms in between. Also outside of Croatia, very rarely, some hyperchromatic forms are found. This goes the same story as with P. fieberi. Very stable chromatics, and very rarely, very small chances, of finding some hyper- or hypochromatic form apart from some special locations.There is a good French work on the variation in this species, but it is not available on the net, so wasn't able to consult it. For those who want reference:
Bidault., J., (2014). Variations chromatiques de Protaetia (Cetonischema) speciosissima (Scopoli, 1786) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Cetonidae). Le coléopteriste, n° 17 (3), p. 151-152.
Below one of my own breeding, orange and green colouration, for as far as I could understand, I suppose this is referred to as var "aerocuprea".
Sexual dismorphism:
These beetles show a clear dismporhism between sexes. The easiest trick to determine the sex is checking the size of the back tarsi compared to the size of the back tibia. Males have back tarsi of the same length as the tibia. Probably an adaptment to their mating methods (see later). Females have shorter back tarsi than their back tibia.
Another method can be found by looking at the last ventral segment. This segment is rather flat in males. Furthermore in males the centre of this segment as seen ventrally has no punctuation in the middle. In females this kast segment is more pointed, and as seen ventrally, is completely punctuated.
Development and breeding:
We start the cycle at eggs and L1 larvae. In this aspect the species has no particular difference with other Cetoniinae. Development of the eggs takes about 30 days. Eggs are often very small, so it doesn't pay off the effort of looking for them through the substrate. If your catpive population is in good synchronisation with the natural ones, larvae are early to mid L3 at about the end of october. Depending on how many larvae you want in your next generation, you can put the larvae up cool from end of october to early march. In this period the larvae will diapause. However, in this species diapausing isn't strictly needed for egg-production, but it is known to increase it.In march the beetles start to get active again as temperatures rise, and start feeding again. They construct pupal cells in may or early june. Depending on the moment they construct their cells, they hatch in late may, june or july.
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| Mid L3 larvae of Protaetia speciosissima |
This species tends to get yellow and creamy quite early in L3, but this isn't an immediate sign of pupation nearing. In my experience with this species the larvae turned yellow already in early april, while I expect the mostpart of them to build their cells in late may.
I stress again that hibernating this species isn't strictly needed, but only makes for less reproduction.
Substrate doesn't have any special demands, but they do tend to grow much bigger if a high proportion of very soft white rotten wood is added. I have myself never used additives with this species.
Adult life for this beetles is easy as in most captive bred subfamilies. They feed on fruit and jelly, all the usual. When mating the males hold on with their back legs (hence the long tarsi), and lift their body almost vertical to the body of the female. Quite a sight to see :)
Adults can live very long. My current generation is partly captive beetles and partly wild. Some of the wild ones are still very active, despite being adult for almost a year now. Other breeders report males living for up to two years! This also makes it possible to make certain charasteristics more prolific by breeding a male in with one of his offspring, highlighting a certain trait. Options however, I haven't done it myself.
So far for this species :)
Will update this text if I find more relevant texts about them, or have some exciting new things with them in breeding
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