Beetleshops in Japan

Beetleshops in Japan

Thanks to my friend Zakki, we also visited a beetle shop in Oskaka. It was a very nice and small shop, for all non Japanese, imagine a petshop, that only sells beetles. It was very nice to talk to the owner and he was showing me all his specialties. It was very interesting to see that Lamprima aurata can grow telodont and almost looks like Lamprima adolphinae then. He was also specialized in breeding of giant size and with nice mandible forms Dorcus curvidens ssp. One was as expensive as a few thousand Euros.

It was also interesting to see, that at that time, still Lucanidae were the number one choice of Japanese insect keepers and breeders. But I also realized that the Cetonidae and Dynastinae were becoming more and more popular with breeders. As a result the shop offered 7 different Dynastes hercules subspecies, partly as larvae, but some also as adult. Mecynorrhina ugandensis was offered in all color variations, from pure green to almost black.

Apart from these, the African Cetonidae species, such as Dicranorrhina conradsi and Dicranorrhina derbyana ssp., as well as various Eudicella species were offered. The most interesting beetle to me was a male of Allotopus moellenkampi fruhstoferi (if it really was that species, because it is incredibly rare. Then again, it would not surprise me if the Japanese really had it in breeding :-)My complimets to that, Europe still has a long way to go!)

I hope you enjoy the pictures, they are not very good, as I had to use my flash, as it was late at night when I came to the shop. Anyways, I hope you enjoy watching them. Any questions, let me know.

Benjamin Harink

Allotopus moellenkampi fruhstoferi

Allotopus moellenkampi fruhstoferi 1

Dicranorrhina conradti male blue

Dorcus curvidens binodulosus giant

Dorcus curvidens binodulosus giant 1

Dorcus curvidens binodulosus giant 2

Dorcus curvidens binodulosus giant 3

Dorcus curvidens binodulosus giant 4

Dorcus titanus ssp.

Dorcus titanus ssp. 1

Dorcus titanus ssp. 2