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Are they mainly on the surface of the water? If so, they're likely springtails AKA Collembola, minute arthropods that mainly live in soil but can also be found on the surface of water sometimes. Probably they've hitchhiked in on something in your tank. Fortunately, they're not much of a...

If it's an insect of any kind, it will likely not be allowed in, with the possible exception of some aquatics. If it eats a plant part, even dead plants, it is considered a potential pest. If it's a predator that might eat a pollinating insect (bees, butterflies etc), it is ALSO considered a...

They will also eat fish food flakes. Not as much fun, I know, but you do get less of a feeding frenzy! Most dytiscids lay eggs on emergent plants, but these apparently prefer to lay eggs in soil ajacent to the water (although I've seen pics of eggs on plants also). There was an article on...

The fact that it's eating is encouraging to say the least! I, too, would expect most species to bash themselves to death, but it appears to be a small species, so maybe that's key. I hope they do well! Wade

You're looking in the right direction, you'll probably have better luck with Asian/indopacific species. Rearing of fireflies is something like the "Holy Grail" in the butterfly house/insect zoo community, and what little success there has been has been with Asian species. The large North...

Anybody actually done it successfully? I've heard of damselflies and dragonflies being reared in butterfly houses, but not in terrariums. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I'm not optimistic about it. What SHOULD work and what actually DOES work are often two different things. Wade

Many collectors will use a large merc-vapor lamp to bring insects into the general area, and then flourecent BL tubes to bring them to the sheet. Many flourecent blacklight systems can be powered from you car lighter, so if you don't need to go deep in the woods or something, it will be a lot...

There is a beetle hobby here, but because exotics are blocked by the USDA it is limited to the natives (unless you go underground), but we do have some neat ones. I rear Dynastes tityus and, more recently, D. granti. Captive bred D. tityus adults have been know to live up to a year after...

They can probably raise some, but not that many idividuals. Likely, the first larvae to emerge (eggs are laid singly) would be the ones to actually make it to adulthood, food would run out before the later ones were able to mature. It's also possible the adults stop laying eggs when the food is...

Many salamanders are rain stimulated. For example, our local spotted salamanders Ambystoma maculatum head to the breeding pools during the first rainstorm of the year when temps are above 50 degrees. Any breeding program will probably involve manipulation of temperature and proably simulated...

That is a testimony to how popular beetle keeping is in Japan! There was a mushroom company that decided to maket the LIVE dynastine scarabs that turn up on the same logs they use to raise their mushrooms. They chose to sell them in vending machines, and the machines were sold out within hours...

You're thinking of the related burying beetles (Nicrophorus) where a pair work together to bury a carcass and then care for the larvae. They seek out carcasses of a particular size, ad are quite selective about where they lay eggs, although they may feed on other carrion. Necrophila...

I've bred D. tityus for several generations now, and the best thing I've found to get the females to lay eggs is larval frass. When rearing larvae, DON'T throw out the used substrate/food (aka, the frass and feces). Save it (freezing or drying keeps it pest-free in the meantime), and then add it...

They don't attract, as much. This is because insects (at least night-flying ones that fly to lights) don't see light as well in the red-yellow part of the spectrum. I think that red-tinted bulbs are better for this, check out the red 'party' bulbs, these are cheap. Wade

Yes...some species of beetles have larviform females that are mature but never pupate or develop adult traits. Both are lightningbugs (or fireflies) but from different groups. Both males and females flash, and the pattern of flashing is unique to the species. I believe most species are...

Supposedly, they have confiscated them from importers, but as of yet they have not confiscated them from private owners. Wade

While I don't think a petition will work (especially an online petition, which take no effort to sign and therefore don't mean much), there may be other avenues that are more effective. As Xelda pointed out, the USDA doesn't have the time or resources to verify that each species is or isn't...

Mantids in general benefit from high ventilation, and are prone to die off in poorly ventilated containers, at least this has been my experience. I have not kept orchid mantids myself, but from what I've read they are especially prone to this (this is the main reason I've avoided them and stuck...

One thing you might want to look into is buying a lobster tank as used by seafood shops and resturants. Filter and chiller would be included. Not cheap, but you might be able to get one cheaper if you watch out for auctions, used resturant equipment sales, etc. Check the phone book for stores...