Range of L elaphus

[Deleted]

While digging for larvae might produce, I'd suggest you focus your efforts on capturing wild females. Gather as many as you can along with a few good males, put them in a terrarium with 6-8 inches of substrate, a surface log, some food and let things happen. The females will borrow down in the substrate and lay eggs if all goes well.

This will allow you to get many more larvae (I think) than trying to hunt for the larvae specifically. Let the lights of night bring the females to you. Going through the woods looking for larvae might prove rather futile. Just my thoughts.

[bichos]

Mar 18, 2012 18:39:44 GMT -8 billgarthe said:

Going through the woods looking for larvae might prove rather futile.

Well I think finding larvae can be rewarding and if you are finding them, there is always the chance of unearthing an adult, given that you are searching just before the emergence period in Summer. Or if they overwinter as some species do, however I don't think L'elaphus does I don't know.
I would avoid extremes in weather, other than that...
The best thing about hunting for larvae is that you can do it just about any time of the year. Once you find a few good logs or stumps that have them, you will get to know what to look for.

Happy hunting.