Home range size in two darkling beetle species (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) from Southern Kazakhstan

The repeated collecting of marked darkling beetle species, including the diurnal species Tentyria gigas and the nocturnal species Cyphogenia gibba from Kazakhstan demonstrated that their home ranges constituted 457 and 360 m², respectively. More than 500 beetles from an area of 2.5 ha were marked by engraving numbers on their elytra. Beetles were observed during two seasons at a distance covering 2 km from the site of release. Sex was determined in a quarter of all the beetles. In females and males of T. gigas, the home range constituted 700 and 552 m², respectively; in C. gibba, 599 and 343 m², respectively. Small home ranges of these species can be explained by the presence of numerous predators, occasional death of beetles under cattle’s hoofs, and a great number and high density of shelters.