OPEN THE GATES
On arrival
Read the product’s species, life stage, and culture format before opening it. A producing culture, a starter, an egg order, and a kit of dry supplies are different purchases. Inspect the container and prepare the correct matching setup first.
BUILD THE REFUGE
A secure holding setup
Keep each species in its own labeled, secure, ventilated container. Small beetles and fruit flies need fine ventilation. Use separate tools or clean tools between cultures, and keep cultures away from household food and pesticide exposure.
KEEP A STEADY WATCH
Temperature & placement
Choose conditions for the actual species. A warm producing fruit-fly culture is not stored like a feeder waxworm cup. Do not place every culture together on a hot vivarium lid simply because they are all insects.
PROVISION THE COLONY
Food & hydration
Match the medium to the insect: fruit flies use prepared culture medium; bean beetle larvae develop inside suitable dry beans; rice flour beetles use a dry grain blend. These are not interchangeable recipes. Follow each medium’s preparation directions.
THE DAILY WATCH
Care between feedings
Date new cultures, record the start and production stage, and establish a backup before harvesting heavily. Keep old and fresh cultures separate. If a colony develops widespread mites or spoiled medium, isolate it and start clean stock with clean equipment rather than moving contamination through every cup.
AVOID THE COMMON TRAPS
Mistakes worth preventing
- Using a species name and a trade strain name as if they were interchangeable.
- Harvesting every adult from the only producing culture.
- Mixing species in a single culture because both are tiny.
