Eggs

Larvae

The larvae stage of some soil or wood dwelling beetles as Buprestidae, Lucanidae or Cerambycidae can extend 5 years, where adults live just few months. In case of very large Cerambycidae development can be ven 9 - 12 years.

Instars.
There are at least two instars in the development of the larva, but usually more. Beetles larvae has mostly 3 - 4 larval instars.
There are some cases, like Dermestidae, that can have even 6 instars or more.

Pupae

Adults

Longevity of adults has been reported from several carabid species (Schjötz-Christensen 1968; van Dijk 1972, 1979; Sota 1987, Rusdea 1992). In a Carabus auronitens enclosure population in Germany usually beetles of four-five generations are active during a spring season (Baumgartner et al. 1997).

Prof. Dr. F. Weber found in his investigations on Carabus auronitens (Col. Carabidae) individuals that were recaptured up to 7 years after their first appearance.

Literature cited:Baumgartner R,Bechtel A,van den Boom A,Hockmann P, Horstmann B,Landwehr M,Weber F (1997): Age pyyramid of a local population and viability fitness of phenotypical fractions in Carabus auronitens (Coleoptera, Carabidae). - Ital. J. Zool. 64, 319-340.

Rusdea E (1992): Stabilisierende Selektion bei microphtalmen Höhlentieren: Untersuchungen zur tageszeitlichen Aktivitätsverteilung und Populationsdynamik von Laemostenus schreibersi (Küster)(Carabidae). - Mem. Biospeol. 19, 1-110.

Schjötz-Christensen B (1968): Some notes on the biology and ecology of Carabus hortensis (Col., Carabidae). - Natura Jutlandica 14, 127-154.

Sota T (1987): Mortality pattern and age structure in two carabid populations with different seasonal life cycles. - Res. Popul. Ecol. 29, 237-254.

van Dijk TS (1972): The significance of the diversity in age composition of Calathus melanocephalus (Col., Carabidae) in space and time at Schiermonnikoog. - Oecologia 10, 111-139.

van Dijk TS (1979): On the relationship between reproduction age and survival in two carabid beetles: Calathus melanocephalus L. and Pterostichus coerulescens L. (Coleoptera: Carabidae). - Oecologia 40, 63-80.

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Dr. Matthias Kaiser
Faunistik / Tierökologie
Elise-Rüdiger-Weg 1
48147 Münster
Germany

Last modified on Friday, 20 October 2006