Bean Beetle Culture for Sale
This is a live, producing culture of bean beetles, Callosobruchus maculatus. The adults run about 3mm and make a protein-rich feeder for animals from young panther chameleons to adult frogs. The beetles breed in the dried beans in the cup, so the culture needs no water and makes little odor. As a result, it is one of the lowest-maintenance feeders you can keep. It also gives a clean, non-fly option for variety.
Why Feed Bean Beetles?
Bean beetles add protein and variety to a feeder rotation. Because the adults do not bite or chew, they cannot harm your animal or damage anything. They also need no water dish and produce little smell, which keeps care simple. For keepers who rely on fruit flies, they make an easy change of pace.
Keeping Your Culture
The culture is simple to maintain, and most of the work is just feeding off.
Conditions
Keep the culture between 74 and 80°F and out of direct sun. It needs no added water, since the beans hold what the beetles need.
Feeding Off
Tap beetles into a cup as needed, then offer them to your animals. Dust them first for animals that need extra calcium.
Culture Life
A culture lasts about 4 to 6 weeks. So restart or expand it with more bean beetle blend, or keep several going on a rotation.
Honest Note on Bean Beetles
The adults you feed breed only in dried legumes, so escapees cannot infest pantry grains or flour. However, bean beetles can fly, so keep a lid on the culture and contain them while feeding. They are also low in calcium, like most feeders, so dusting still helps despite their protein.
Finally, a culture does not last forever. Output rises, then fades over about a month, so plan to replace or expand it to keep beetles on hand.
Best For
- Dart frog, mantid, and small reptile or amphibian keepers.
- Young chameleons and other animals that take a small feeder.
- Keepers who want a clean, low-odor, low-maintenance feeder.
- Fruit fly keepers who want a non-fly option to rotate in.
Not Best For
- Keepers of larger animals that need a bigger feeder.
- Keepers who want a fully flightless feeder, since bean beetles can fly.
- Keepers who will not dust feeders, since the beetles are low in calcium.
Recommended Add-Ons
- TC Calcium Ultra Fine to dust the beetles before feeding.
- Bean Beetle Blend to refresh or expand your culture.
- Bean Beetle Culture Kit for an all-in-one way to make several cultures.
- Wingless Melanogaster as a fruit fly to rotate alongside beetles.
- 32oz Deli Cup for splitting or expanding cultures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are bean beetles?
They are small beetles, Callosobruchus maculatus, around 3mm. They breed in dried beans, and the adults are fed to animals.
What animals eat them?
Dart frogs, mantids, young chameleons, and small reptiles and amphibians all take them. Any animal that eats a small feeder is a good match.
How do I keep the culture?
Keep it at 74 to 80°F and feed off as needed. It needs no water and lasts about 4 to 6 weeks.
Will they infest my house?
No. They breed only in dried legumes, so they cannot get into pantry grains or flour. They can fly, though, so keep a lid on the culture.
Do I need to dust them?
Yes. Despite their protein, bean beetles are low in calcium, so dust them with calcium and a multivitamin before feeding.
How are they different from fruit flies?
They are beetles, not flies, so they add variety. They need no water and make little odor, which keeps care simple. See our fruit flies to rotate both.
Learn More About Bean Beetles
These sources cover the biology of the beetle behind your culture.
- The Bean Beetle Handbook. An educational resource on Callosobruchus maculatus biology and culturing, widely used in teaching labs.
- NCBI: Callosobruchus maculatus research overview. A scientific look at the bean beetle, the species in this culture.
- ScienceDirect: Gut Loading (veterinary overview). A reference on why feeder insects need supplementation, which supports dusting the beetles.
