# White crawling things in my roach colony



## iPippin (Apr 3, 2013)

I looked at my blatta lateralis colony today and then I noticed the poop was moving. At closerninspection, there was a white  less than 1 cm long but its thickness is no thicker than a penny crawling thing. It crawled like a caterpillar. Then at the corner of the colony, there was a number of them crawling. Idk but I think kts fly larvae. Should I remove these? Will the presencd of these weird crawlies benefit my roach colony and if so, how? Or will these damage the colony?


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## Cavedweller (Apr 3, 2013)

Do they look like this? http://www1.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/springtails/img/M1305-1.jpg

Or this? http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1076/722851571_e123518277_z.jpg

Doesn't sound like mites. Can you get us a count of the legs? No legs would be larva (I can't help you narrow down what kind and if they're good/bad). If its 6 legs it's probably a springtail, if it's 10 or more it's millipedes. Either one is harmless to your roaches (springtails are a very popular cleaning crew)


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## Meezerkoko (Apr 3, 2013)

Haha unless they have a microscope how will they count the legs of a springtail?  Plus they're constantly in motion.  Based on how th OP described their movement I'm guessing they're not springs since they are typically pinging around.  

OP I have no idea what they might be, could you post a pic?  Also if these bugs are disturbed do they start jumping around?  Also do they seem to keep to the places that are damp?  If so they could be springtails (definitely are id they start jumping).  I wish I could be more helpful.


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## Boatman (Apr 3, 2013)

Sounds like maggots to me (fly larvae).


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## Curious jay (Apr 3, 2013)

What's the humidity like?

Do they have a black head?

They sound like maggots to me aswell.

If they are very thin, white/transparent with a black pinhead. Ill give it a guess at being fungus gnat larvae.

Are there any flies inside the colony? If it is fungus gnats they're not so good at flying more so a hop with a short flight. IME they're more o an eyesore than a threat.


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Apr 4, 2013)

Wrote this a year or two ago about cage pests, including videos I took of some common cage pests.

http://bugsincyberspace.com/Cage_Pests.html


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## iPippin (Apr 4, 2013)

Cavedweller said:


> Do they look like this? http://www1.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/springtails/img/M1305-1.jpg
> 
> Or this? http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1076/722851571_e123518277_z.jpg
> 
> Doesn't sound like mites. Can you get us a count of the legs? No legs would be larva (I can't help you narrow down what kind and if they're good/bad). If its 6 legs it's probably a springtail, if it's 10 or more it's millipedes. Either one is harmless to your roaches (springtails are a very popular cleaning crew)


They don't have legs. White worm thingies. They look like maggots, though.

---------- Post added 04-04-2013 at 07:39 AM ----------




Meezerkoko said:


> Haha unless they have a microscope how will they count the legs of a springtail?  Plus they're constantly in motion.  Based on how th OP described their movement I'm guessing they're not springs since they are typically pinging around.
> 
> OP I have no idea what they might be, could you post a pic?  Also if these bugs are disturbed do they start jumping around?  Also do they seem to keep to the places that are damp?  If so they could be springtails (definitely are id they start jumping).  I wish I could be more helpful.


I'm very sure they're not springtails. They're too tiny for a pic.. @.@ sorry.. The bugs don't jump around and they do tend to stay in damp places and full of poop.

---------- Post added 04-04-2013 at 07:40 AM ----------




Boatman said:


> Sounds like maggots to me (fly larvae).


Will maggots damage my colony?

---------- Post added 04-04-2013 at 07:43 AM ----------




Curious jay said:


> What's the humidity like?
> 
> Do they have a black head?
> 
> ...


They fit that description. I mist half of the enclosure. More than 20 sprays. Idk humidity that much.. No flies. Thanks so much  I was really worried about my roaches.. I've been constantly failing in keeping their enclosures clean @.@

---------- Post added 04-04-2013 at 07:48 AM ----------




Bugs In Cyberspace said:


> Wrote this a year or two ago about cage pests, including videos I took of some common cage pests.
> 
> http://bugsincyberspace.com/Cage_Pests.html


I read it. It was very informative! Thanks  But will the larvae be beneficisl to the colony or will it hinder the growth of the roach population.


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## bugmankeith (Apr 6, 2013)

Grain moth caterpillars are white


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## Louise E. Rothstein (Apr 11, 2013)

Since they stay where damp poop is that is probably what is attracting them.
Just take most of that out and most of THEM will bug off.

P.S. If you have anything that could eat THEM you might consider culturing some separately...
You already know what they eat.


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