Collecting Roaches

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Harlock

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 25, 2009
Messages
148
I was wondering if I could get some advice on field collecting wild roaches. I want to help set up some enclosures of native roaches for a lab I work at. Since it is related to the lab, I can collect on our grounds, and here is a full list of what is known to be in the area: http://www.bfl.utexas.edu/research/species-list/insects/blattodea

Now, I've been able to find the wood roaches in massive numbers, but I have trouble catching them before the run away; out of 13 I caught, I fatally damaged 3. I've been considering putting out Vaseline lined containers with dry food in them to try and collect, but I'm not sure how that would work.

The main species I would really like to get is the Pseudomops septentrionalis, but I've never seen one on the grounds.

Any hunting advice?
 
H

Harlock

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 25, 2009
Messages
148
Update: I managed to find and catch 2 males and one adult female! Boy, these guys are small. Also found an unhatched ootheca from a different species; I hope it is fertile and doesn't have any parasites.

(Also got 5 P. reddelli scorpions for an unrelated project.)

For being called field roaches, they sure were not in anything I would call a field.

Next weekend: Look for sand roaches.
 
P

Pssh

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
197
If they can climb smooth surfaces, cut off the top 1/4-1/3 of a water bottle. Line the inside with a roach barrier that they cannot climb (maybe olive oil or something.) Put the top in the rest of the water bottle so that it has a basin. Secure the top. This will allow the roaches to climb up the sides and into the basin part, but they wil then fall into the cup and cannot climb back out. PM me if it didn't make any sense.
 
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