Zophobas morio Beetle Issues? Help!

[Josm315]

I have had no issues with my superworm colony up to this point; however, it seems that my beetles are dying off pretty quickly. I can't remember how long ago it was I started with the beetles, but they have started flipping on their backs, still waving their legs around wildly.

If I try to flip them proper, they end up on their backs again and the cycle continues. Is this how they normally die of old age?

I use whole oats and add potatoes/carrots/celery as needed for moisture. They're kept in bin drawers separate from large and medium superworms. There are a few small superworms already in the beetle enclosure. The drawers aren't heated, they are kept at room temperature (70~80 degrees Fahrenheit).

If anyone has any suggestions as to what this phenomenon is, or a solution to it, I would greatly appreciate an answer. Thanks!

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Their lifespan is approximately 8 months. It's necessary to grow new beetles to keep the colony going.

 

[Josm315]

I've had the colony going for 3-5 months... I feel really bad for not keeping track of the simplest things like that, but it just seemed a little early for them to be dying off. I really appreciate your input though, I didn't really know how long they lived in the adult stage; regardless, I do have a small amount of larvae in the tackle box now that I have 40~50 beetles.

I just fear that I've done something wrong or they are diseased. =/ I really don't want to feed my geckos anything that came from sick parents.

 

[ElapidSVT]

http://lhsfoss.org/fossweb/teachers/materials/plantanimal/zophobas.html

3 months sounds about right from what that says.
pretty sure you're doing everything just right!
good luck

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Hmmm, mine last longer than that. I feed carrot chunks and they're housed on wheat bran in one of those round plastic kritter keepers, at about 85 degrees.