- Joined
- Jan 5, 2005
- Messages
- 8,325
Ant Crickets - Family Myrmecophilidae
1] * * * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_cricket
2] * * * http://bugguide.net/node/view/119724
3] ***** http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/s391lh20.pdf (thanks balam!)
I have always been fascinated by these little fellows. Up until Pi Day 2010 i never knew what they were, however. I didn't know if the little 2-3mm long fellows i was seeing were immature versions of larger crickets or if they were some kind of crazy pixie crickets.
I am going to take a stab at keeping the small number i collected today alive... but i want to make a serious effort to breed these. I am going to do research and put all the interesting info into this thread.
It is my hope that these could be a scabies feature feeder in the future =P
RATS! It seems these little crix might have to live along side an ant nest... and danged if i sort of recall being annoyed that there was some ants by them :/
this tiny cricket is exploring an oak leaf, to give some idea of the scale of these insects
TAXONOMY:
[2] says there are only four species in NA and it seems like we might be in range of two:
Myrmecophilus manni: western states rangemap --> http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/391a.htm
M. oregonensis: west coast states and southwestern BC rangemap --> http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/393a.htm
NATURAL HISTORY:
[note: i am still working and editting this... if you want to follow the thread and see the finished product develop you can check it out here: http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/about4615.html ]
right now i still have at least one little dude kicking around the jar i set up for him. he still is moving with vim and vigor and hides from my finger and what not. this sunday i am hopefully going to collect a Componotus (spell?) ant nest and more acrix
1] * * * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_cricket
2] * * * http://bugguide.net/node/view/119724
3] ***** http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/s391lh20.pdf (thanks balam!)
I have always been fascinated by these little fellows. Up until Pi Day 2010 i never knew what they were, however. I didn't know if the little 2-3mm long fellows i was seeing were immature versions of larger crickets or if they were some kind of crazy pixie crickets.
I am going to take a stab at keeping the small number i collected today alive... but i want to make a serious effort to breed these. I am going to do research and put all the interesting info into this thread.
It is my hope that these could be a scabies feature feeder in the future =P
RATS! It seems these little crix might have to live along side an ant nest... and danged if i sort of recall being annoyed that there was some ants by them :/
this tiny cricket is exploring an oak leaf, to give some idea of the scale of these insects
TAXONOMY:
[2] says there are only four species in NA and it seems like we might be in range of two:
Myrmecophilus manni: western states rangemap --> http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/391a.htm
M. oregonensis: west coast states and southwestern BC rangemap --> http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/393a.htm
NATURAL HISTORY:
[note: i am still working and editting this... if you want to follow the thread and see the finished product develop you can check it out here: http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/about4615.html ]
right now i still have at least one little dude kicking around the jar i set up for him. he still is moving with vim and vigor and hides from my finger and what not. this sunday i am hopefully going to collect a Componotus (spell?) ant nest and more acrix
