Before introducing larvae into Kinshi, there are a few critical steps you need to follow to make sure your beetles stay safe and healthy.
One of the most common mistakes beginners make is skipping these steps, especially CO₂ removal.
✅ Remove CO₂
As the mycelium grows, it releases both CO₂ and moisture.
That’s why the inside walls of Kinshi containers often get fogged up with condensation.
Since CO₂ is heavier than oxygen, it tends to collect in the lower parts of the container exactly where your larvae will be.
So before introducing any larvae, turn the container upside down and leave it that way for 24–48 hours.
⚠️ If you skip this, larvae might suffocate from lack of oxygen.
One telltale sign is when they crawl around the top of the substrate looking for air.
✅ Remove Surface Mycelium
The fluffy layer on top can be too dense for larvae to penetrate easily.
Gently scrape it off to make access easier.
✅ Bore Entry Holes
Use a boring stick (or any clean tool) to make entry holes in the Kinshi so your larvae can dig in smoothly.
This also encourages faster settlement.
✅ Add the Larvae
Once the CO₂ is cleared, the surface is prepped, and holes are made,
gently place your larvae into the container.
📌 Half Kinshi, Half Fermented Substrate Test
Sometimes, larvae that were raised on fermented substrate may hesitate or reject Kinshi initially.
To study this behavior, I’ve been running a little experiment.
I’m using a container that’s half Kinshi, half fermented substrate, and letting the larvae decide where they want to stay.
Some clearly prefer the Kinshi section,
Others stick to the fermented substrate,
And a few larvae right in the middle 😂
I haven’t raised them to adulthood yet, so I don’t have final results,
but it’s been a pretty cool observation so far.
I’ll be sure to share updates once I get more data.