ID/Should I be concerned?

[HybridReplicate]

Enclosure maintenance day & there are inevitably surprises! Recently increased the heat in my Shelfordella lateralis colony in an attempt to make it self-sustaining, but now these little guys have appeared. They're particularly interested in the cat food. For a sense of scale the bottom is about an inch in diameter. They smaller specimens don't have bristles but the larger do which is seen rather poorly in the second snap. Larvae? Myriapods?

 

[sdsnybny]

those are beetle larva and are good clean up crew foe most roach colonies. Not sure about red runners as I have read they will eat the ootheca. @Hisserdude will know for sure

 

[1Lord Of Ants1]

Dermestid beetle larvae, possibly D. maculatus.

I have them in with most of my roaches, including a red runner colony. I've never seen them bother anything capable of moving, and so long as their numbers are controlled I doubt they pose much of a threat to oothecae. If they're apparently munching a few here and there, it certainly has no affect on the prolific nature of lateralis. They certainly keep the phorid flies away in large roach colonies.

 

[HybridReplicate]

Dermestid beetle larvae, possibly D. maculatus.

I have them in with most of my roaches, including a red runner colony. I've never seen them bother anything capable of moving, and so long as their numbers are controlled I doubt they pose much of a threat to oothecae. If they're apparently munching a few here and there, it certainly has no affect on the prolific nature of lateralis. They certainly keep the phorid flies away in large roach colonies.

How exciting, thank you! Presumably they must have been in the colony of one of my recent shipments. Are the beetles themselves beneficial or just the larvae? Do they pose any risk to spiders?

 

[HybridReplicate]

How exciting, thank you! Presumably they must have been in the colony of one of my recent shipments. Are the beetles themselves beneficial or just the larvae? Do they pose any risk to spiders?

I swear I know how to use the search function. Thanks again!

 

[1Lord Of Ants1]

The adults serve the same purpose as the larvae; eating dead insects, detritus, and leftover food. They're pretty much harmless to anything that's not dead, though they may be more ambitious when starved and crowded. (And when crowded to the max, the adults may attempt to fly)

The first few instars of larvae - just before their setae grow too long - make excellent spiderling food by the way. They hatch out super tiny and are very active. I keep a deli container half full of dog food and dermestids within reach of the sling shelf to vary their diet or when I'm too lazy to pick out roach nymphs from the bins.

 

[HybridReplicate]

The adults serve the same purpose as the larvae; eating dead insects, detritus, and leftover food. They're pretty much harmless to anything that's not dead, though they may be more ambitious when starved and crowded. (And when crowded to the max, the adults may attempt to fly)

The first few instars of larvae - just before their setae grow too long - make excellent spiderling food by the way. They hatch out super tiny and are very active. I keep a deli container half full of dog food and dermestids within reach of the sling shelf to vary their diet or when I'm too lazy to pick out roach nymphs from the bins.

You are my new best friend. Capturing nymphs & squishing their little heads has quickly become a chore.

 

[Hisserdude]

Definitely dermestid larvae, common stowaways in feeder shipments. They are beneficial, and it may be worth starting a colony of them so you can add them to other colonies if need be, they do a good job of eating dead roaches.