grain mites, another solution

[Galapoheros]

Sometimes I put fruit and veg scraps in the roach bins, I have doobs and Hissers. If I want small seeds from a fruit, like dragon fruit seen here, I'll put a piece in with the roaches, they leave the seeds behind. In the dubia tub, I noticed grain mites, I haven't seen them in a few years over here though I think most have them whether they know it or not in the hobby. The mites were all over the red dragon fruit and pineapple scraps. They were only in the dubia tub, not the Hisser tub. The most obvious difference is that there are 1000s of small earwigs in the Hisser tank, they do fine together. I was suspicious the earwigs eat the mites, thought that was the reason there were no grain mites to be found in there. So put a small piece of dragon fruit circled in yellow on top of the dragon fruit piece in the Hisser tank that had no mites. The earwigs immediately started picking off the mites ...wooohoooo!, die mites, die! Then I put a piece of pineapple in the Hisser tank that had 1000s of mites on it today. Five hours later, you can see there are still many but relative to how many there were, it's just a few. I recommend them for roach feeder bins but not for cricket raising. I've been raising crickets for years, three tubs. Two have crickets in them, the other doesn't. The only difference is that there are earwigs in the one with no crickets. It just makes sense the earwigs eat cricket eggs and emerging hatchlings. Earwigs, my new buds over here! They are probably fine for scorpion and centipede cages but this is a small species of earwig, I don't know the species and haven't looked into it, some of you probably know what they are.



Here is a piece of dragon fruit in the Hisser bin, no mites

Here's the small piece of dragon fruit from the doob bin I put it on top of the dragon fruit in the Hisser bin covered in grain mites circled in yellow.

In the next two images, you can see the earwig circled in blue eating the mites.

Here is a piece of pineapple I took from the dubia bin and put in the Hisser bin, it's covered in mites.

Here is the same piece of pineapple 5 hours later the earwigs have worked over.

 

[StampFan]

So you now have bugs eaten by bugs housed with bugs that eat bugs. I hope it doesn't go to the 5th level LOL. Interesting.

 

[Galapoheros]

So you now have bugs eaten by bugs housed with bugs that eat bugs. I hope it doesn't go to the 5th level LOL. Interesting.

Yeah it's a small ecosystem here. I've had more trouble trying to sterilize things like so many others do, this works better over here.

 

[Mirandarachnid]

Where'd you get the 'wigs? I've always thought they were cool as hell, but I've never seen them in my area. All I need is one little excuse to keep them, and you've given me that

 

[draconisj4]

Interesting, I might have to go out collect a few of our local earwigs and see if I can keep them successfully. I have an ongoing mite problem in my flower beetle enclosures because they have to have fruit available 24/7. Isopods help some, but not enough for my liking. Good excuse to keep more bugs, lol.

 

[Galapoheros]

Where'd you get the 'wigs? I've always thought they were cool as hell, but I've never seen them in my area. All I need is one little excuse to keep them, and you've given me that

They are in my yard, central Tx area. I think they are interesting, they seem pretty alert for an invert, something like a mantis. Too bad they aren't 5 inches long.

Interesting, I might have to go out collect a few of our local earwigs and see if I can keep them successfully. I have an ongoing mite problem in my flower beetle enclosures because they have to have fruit available 24/7. Isopods help some, but not enough for my liking. Good excuse to keep more bugs, lol.

Seems to me they'd be perfect for keeping beetle enclosures free of mites, at least very noticeable control of them. I had grain mite probs raising beetles also, I may go again using these. I've always been interested in the local ‎S. aloeus. I remember digging into a log on a ranch when I was a kid and found those giant grubs, I couldn't believe how big they were.

 

[Arachnidusa]

Do you think earwigs could Co hab with woodlice without eating the baby ones?

 

[davehuth]

This is great information and terrific documentation. Thanks for this! I'm always on the lookout for grain mite solutions for my invert tanks. I use Harvestmen sometimes but they just don't consume enough to make a large dent. Earwigs are likely not a good solution for millipede enclosures, but I'm going to try them in my larger roach enclosures for sure. Thanks again, and if you make any more helpful observations please share them here!

 

[sschind]

I think I'd rather have grain mites. Earwigs give me the creeps.

 

[1Lord Of Ants1]

Looks like ring-legged earwigs. Pretty common insects in the southeastern states, much more so than the other earwig species with wings. (And foul smelling secretions)

I’ve attempted cultures of them but always found cannibilism of nymphs to be an issue, leading to only one size prevailing. They’re capable predators in their own right. I wonder if Madagascar roach nymphs are just outside the size of prey they’re comfortable taking, because I’ve fed them live discoid nymphs in the past and they killed those without much effort.

 

[extra outlandishness]

Really interesting. I know that there are some predatory mites that will kill the grain mites and won't harm your pet, and I've been using springtails to keep grain mite levels under control (I feed my beetle larvae dog food, and the springtails help clean up the excess) May have to try this out some time, but I've never liked earwigs.

 

[BladeGypsy]

I accidentally aquired two red/ring legged earwigs (I believe) today at the local Repticon- I discovered them in the substrate of some millipedes I purchased.
Are they safe to put into my Dubia roach bin?
If not, I do have a colony of Hissing roaches - I take it they are safe to put in there?

 

[houston]

Interesting! Do y'think they'd eat other small pest type insects? I'm noticing ants (a small species, likely Little Black Ant Monomorium minimum) in my Giant Cave Roach Blaberus giganteus terrarium and I'm apprehensive about using ant baits/ poisons around my inverts.
The fact that earwigs are super generalists and might go for eggs/ ootheca may be a point of concern, since giganteus are oviparous, but I have other terrariums that i'd love cool tiny pest control bugs for, haha. Can't wait til it's warm enough to go collecting some!