they're Hatching!
- Thread starter Nivek
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I have 2 successfully hatched and one failed so far. How do I take care of them now? lolReduviid nymphs should always be kept separate, as they will cannibalize. Provide them with small objects to roost on and keep the container moist for easy molting. They will reach adulthood pretty fast if fed routinely. Although reduviid nymphs (as well as almost all predacious heteropteran nymphs) are capable of seizing prey larger than themselves, it is best to feed prey items that are smaller or of the same size as the nymph.
Alex S.
Alex S.
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I have raised wheel bug nymphs together all the way to adulthood, even the larger faster growing nymphs did not eat their slower growing smaller siblings. Once they became adults, they still did not eat each other. It took less than two months for them to mature, that's fast! I fed the hatchlings fruit flies and 1st instar crickets. Once they molted two times I fed them small mealworms, and continued to feed them mealworms until they were adult. I kept the enclosure dry, because otherwise it would start smelling really bad! I misted them every two or three days.
Unless you want to intentionally thin out the number of nymphs, it is best to keep them separate in small containers, just to be sure. I have kept several reduviid species and the nymphs can be prone to cannibalism. Adults can be kept together as they will not feed on each other unless starved.
Alex S.
Alex S.
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- Dec 29, 2002
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Alex I'm not disrespecting you, but have you kept wheel bugs? I have. Even during a week plus(10 days to be exact) of non feeding, there was no cannibalism. Like I mentioned before, even nymphs two instars ahead did not feed on their "younger" siblings. If you have the time and space, then by all means separate them, but I would not worry too much about them "thinning each other out" otherwise. But I will say that I am just going off my own experience, someone else may experience different results.Alex S. said:
Hi Jezzy607,jezzy607 said:
I didn't take any offense. Your post was not disrespectful at all and reported a good observation. I was simply stating that, like you said, if you have the space and time, it is a guarantee of the nymphs surviving if kept separate and feeding and molts go well etc. I have kept Arilus cristatus as an adult, but have not reared young. Certain reduviid species can be more cannibalistic than others and Arilus cristatus is known to be one of the less cannibalistic species, which your experience with raising the nymphs shows.
Alex S.
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The largest species, such as those in the genus Platymeris (Africa), usually get around 1.5" or a little larger in body length when adult. Adult wheel assassins (Arilus cristatus) can also get about the same size. Other fairly large and more vividly colored U.S. reduviids include those of the genus Apiomerus and Pselliopus.
Alex S.
Alex S.
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I have some wheel bugs who are "hatching" at irregular intervals over the last two weeks. I'm keeping them all together as their survival is not a huge priority to me. I have been observing and the earliest nymphs have been congregating around the egg cluster and have been eating the newly emerging nymphs.