worms!

Palespider

Palespider

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 30, 2003
Messages
683
I was just cleaning my cricket container and notice a bunch of 3-4mm worm shaped critters at the bottom. They aren't actually worms since they have legs. They appear to be some sort of larvae or something. Some are brown some are white.
I hope these aren't those cricket parasites that were killing T's.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks, a lot,
Jim B.
 
sunnymarcie

sunnymarcie

Celestial Spider
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Messages
1,294
baby crickets, maybe?
Can you look at them with a scope or something.
Or if you have a good digital camera, a macro shot?
Can't say for sure without a picture.
 
Palespider

Palespider

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 30, 2003
Messages
683
No, definitely not pin heads. They are shaped like maggots, maybe thats what they are. The reason I thought otherwise was that there are white and black ones, and I thought maggots were only white.

I'm going to try and borrow my brothers camera today so I can post some pics.

Jim B.
 
Palespider

Palespider

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 30, 2003
Messages
683
Magically that link doesn't work anymore.

Here's the page that they're on.
They look like the larvae in the 'various stages of developement' pic.
 
P

pelo

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2003
Messages
939
I've seen and had them also.Came also with crickets.Sort of like a potatoe bug except it's body tapers off starting at about midsection.Many legs running the full length of the body and is dark brown/black.Hard shell on top and flesh on the underside.Also somewhat resembles a silverfish in shape.Not sure what they are but my T's liked them....peace..
 
E

esmoot

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 21, 2002
Messages
526
I noticed the Dermestid beetle larva in a shipment of 1000 large crickets after a few days. So much for all of those "crickets only" and "pest free guarantee". Are you sure these are harmless to t's? I found this info:

Check out this pic...http://www.skulltaxidermy.com/image/bearbig1.jpg

DERMESTID BEETLES DO THE WORK OF EATING ALL THE FLESH OFF OF SKULLS AND BONES

Most people boil skulls until the meat literally falls off. While cooking, the melted fat soaks into the bone. This results in greasy yellow skulls. Using beetles eliminates this problem.

The dermestid or carpet beetle belongs to the family Dermestidae. Dermestids feed on dry-moist animal material. There are many species of Dermestid beetles that are native to N. America and will invariably show up at a carcass. Domestic colonization of wild species has proven to be very difficult at best. The species most easily colonized is Dermestes maculatus. These beetles undergo complete metamorphosis; that is, egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. The complete life cycle lasts about 45 days per generation. Adults (beetle looking), lay eggs which are too small to be seen with the naked eye. A few days later very small larvae hatch out which begin looking for their first meal. The larvae continue eating and molting 8 times before they reach about ¾ of an inch in length. This growing/molting period lasts about 30 days. It is the larvae that do the majority of the cleaning. The large larvae then find a quite spot and pupate. As they pupate their last outer larvae skin falls off leaving them somewhat yellow in appearance. 7 days later out comes an adult. Within a day or two the adult is laying 4-5 eggs a day and the whole process begins anew. The adults live for about 3 months
 
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