Mecynorhina torquata ugandensis
These beetles are very popular in the hobby and come in a huge range of colours and patterns. Mixing the genetics to create desired outcomes has made them incredibly diverse with some beetles loosing all the white markings and others coming in 'bi-colour' forms where the thorax and abdomen are completely different colours.
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Our experience with these beetles began with a very common blue/white genetic line, but we have since kept black/white, pure blue, green\pink and brown\orange. Many of these colour variations came to us from other breeders which we bred with varying success.
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We have now decided to focus on more selective colour traits from our own breeding. The first is a colour mix of a blue\orange variety and black\orange variety. Both of these have orange elytra with very minimal white markings and a bold blue or black thorax with striking white lines.
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We are currently breeding these in a 35L tub in our special garage. As with all flower beetles they require a consistent day\night light rhythm to become active for feeding and mating. Our one female laid 33 eggs, of which we now have 30 L2 larvae growing very well of a flake soil diet.
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Our second breeding line is an attempt to create a pure 'black velvet' variant. Through our own cross breeding of a black/white MTU and a pure blue MTU we had several adults emerge of various predominantly black coloration. One female emerged with a pure black colour, showing no white markings on her elytra or pronotum at all - even her head was completely black. We are now breeding her with a dark blue/green male from another breeder to try to isolate and strengthen a 'black velvet' breeding line.
