What the heck??

[P.Murinus]

I bought crickets from a different store than usual and I found these in with the crickets... The person working at the time said they were mealworms, however... they are brown (brown and whiteish alternating stripes) and fuzzy...their underside is white and they have six little legs or three sets of two... almost looks like a caterpillar... any idea what it is?

sorry about the photos... they're kinda fuzzy... :8o

 

[DarkRAM]

They are pretty common to find in with the crickets, I forget the name of them but if you search this forum you'll find your not alone. They turn into a beetle if its what I'm thinking of.

 

[P.Murinus]

are they safe for the spiders to eat?

 

[druid8783]

I wouldn't see why they wouldn't be. We used to find them in the cricket bins at a store I worked at. I was told they eat the crickets (don't know if there is any truth to it, I've never seen it happen).

I would say give it a try, just watch.

 

[P.Murinus]

Well if it is okay for the T's I guess I got a bonus Feeding time!!!

 

[james]

they do turn into flying beetles.

I too forget there name, but they feed on the dead. They will turn into beetles that fly and can get annoying. You should give some roaches a try. They make excellant feeders.
James
www.blaberus.com

 

[P.Murinus]

I dont know where to get roaches in my city... and i still have to wait until my T's get bigger... only one is mature right now... most of them are slings.. but i should probably start the colony now right?

 

[siliconthoughts]

Dermestid beetle larvae

I can't really tell from the photo, but dermestid beetles are the major source of fuzzy larvae in cricket colonies. Here's some info & sharper photos:

http://lancaster.unl.edu/enviro/pest/factsheets/304.htm#dermestid

They don't eat live crickets, just the dead bodies.

Colin

 

[JohnxII]

I have those in my old mealworm colony. My avic slings will eat the pupae. I also read from somewhere that you can safely feed the larvae to your slings as long as you get rid of the bits of flour/oat grains that's usually stuck to their hairs - by dropping them from a certain height - as those will cause molding in your T's enclosure.

 

[Nikos]

check this thread too:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=24891&highlight=dermestid

 

[looseyfur]

a very well placed plug for switching to roaches )))

heheh!


loosey

I too forget there name, but they feed on the dead. They will turn into beetles that fly and can get annoying. You should give some roaches a try. They make excellant feeders.
James
www.blaberus.com

 

[Wade]

Dermestids invade roach colonies as well. Trust me.

Wade