Holy size difference, Batman!

[Khrysty]

So I was checking out my superworm beetles and I noticed two very strange things:

1. Two beetles were lying on the substrate, missing one or more legs, and parts of their outer wings.

2. These two beetles were about half the size of all the other beetles in the container, and 1/3 the size of one super large mutant looking beetle. Though, the largest one didn't seem to be the one fighting with them.

What gives? They establish a pecking order too? Does size have anything to do with sex or is it luck-of-the-draw, so to speak? Why the heck is one of my beetles so huuuuge?

 

[AlexB]

hey khrysty, female beetles are larger than males and the missing outer wings mean they need more protein/water, try putting some dry dog food and potatoe or carrot slices into the colony and see what happens, usually the dog food will give them a boost and they will grow larger and faster, and the beetles will breed more, at least thats what i noticed in my colony

 

[Khrysty]

hey khrysty, female beetles are larger than males and the missing outer wings mean they need more protein/water, try putting some dry dog food and potatoe or carrot slices into the colony and see what happens, usually the dog food will give them a boost and they will grow larger and faster, and the beetles will breed more, at least thats what i noticed in my colony

They've had dog food in there since day 1 and I change out the fruit/vegetable slices every other day :|

But it interesting to know the females are larger. That makes sense