Anyone with experience breeding black crickets? Gryllus bimaculatus?

[scags]

Recently rainbow mealworms has been offering black field crickets- I believe them to be Gryllus bimaculatus.

I’ve attempted twice now to get a colony going. Started with adults in a clean never before used bin. Feeding leafy greens, potatoes, etc.
temps upper 80s-90s.
Adults do great, breed and lay tons of eggs. A couple weeks later hundreds of baby’s hatch. But usually after the second or third molt - they begin to get this weird grimy film on them- looks like tan dust. Almost like tiny mites. And slowly nearly all the crickets perish before reaching adult size.

Not sure what I’m doing wrong, is this a fungus? Mites? Something else?

Any advice would be helpful, I keep and breed a variety of insects have kept the typical crickets and never seen this before.

Thanks!
If anyone wants I can try to get photos, but they tiny crickets, so not sure how well they’ll turn out.

 

[MzLaurie11]

You must start with healthy strong crickets. If they container they come in smells bad, i dont take a chance and demNd a refund and dont feed them to my pets or breed them.if your container is too moist, you will have a major die off. So try to keep the living area as dry as possible. Remove silicone pillows and soak them. Do not spray them with water. Also a lot of fruit turns to alcohol as it spoils and will kill them. If u put a piece of apple or orange in change it daily.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Also the more room they have the better! If they are crowded they will eat eachother.

 

[Connorology]

I'd recommend this book: https://smile.amazon.com/Breeding-F...od+for+vivarium+animals,stripbooks,212&sr=1-1
It has a whole section on breeding several different species of crickets, including G. bimaculatus. This species reportedly does not do as well at high population densities as other cricket species, it also needs to be kept warmer.

 

[jamest0o0]

You must start with healthy strong crickets. If they container they come in smells bad, i dont take a chance and demNd a refund and dont feed them to my pets or breed them.if your container is too moist, you will have a major die off. So try to keep the living area as dry as possible. Remove silicone pillows and soak them. Do not spray them with water. Also a lot of fruit turns to alcohol as it spoils and will kill them. If u put a piece of apple or orange in change it daily.

You’ve bred the black crickets?

 

[scags]

I'd recommend this book: https://smile.amazon.com/Breeding-Food-Animals-Vivarium-Black/dp/1575240459/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SNUTTD9BUTVN&keywords=breeding+food+for+vivarium+animals&qid=1668927532&s=books&sprefix=breeding+food+for+vivarium+animals,stripbooks,212&sr=1-1
It has a whole section on breeding several different species of crickets, including G. bimaculatus. This species reportedly does not do as well at high population densities as other cricket species, it also needs to be kept warmer.

Thanks, I’ll take a look at the book!

It’s odd though, if they do not do well in large colonies or groups- how do they sell them in high numbers at places like Rainbow Mealworms?

 

[scags]

You’ve bred the black crickets?

I wondered the same thing/ if so, please post temps, basic care, etc.

I keep mine dry, I have had some success since I created this post.
The only issues I have now is that I can’t get a high number of babies to adult size. Out of maybe 1000 babies, I’m getting about 100 to adult size. No more mites- I’ve been keeping the container warm and dry. And mostly feeding carrots, potatoes, and leafy greens, occasionally some banana or apple.
They also seem to appreciate some grains and fish flakes every now and then.

 

[scags]

Out of a few months of breeding these I have not seen any active cannibalism. I have however seen them eating their dead.

 

[Connorology]

Out of a few months of breeding these I have not seen any active cannibalism. I have however seen them eating their dead.

It sounds like you're basically doing things right. I have not personally bred this species though. Maybe increase the protein in their diet? I have read this species can be actively predatory in the wild.

Some other ideas if you're not able to get them dialed in: the book I cited also mentions Gryllus assimilis, a species that is similarly meaty but supposedly does better at higher pop. density. Roach Crossing currently sells that species. You could also try to track down some of the OG Acheta house crickets that basically were extirpated from the pet trade in the early 2010s by that cricket virus (I have been tossing around the idea of doing this - no idea if anyone sells them, though I do know where there's an invasive population). The Acheta crickets were meatier than the banded crickets everyone sells nowadays, and if you could establish a closed colony for personal use I doubt they'd be high risk for getting killed off by the virus. I keep seeing Acheta when I visit reptile exhibits in Zoos/Aquariums and they just look so much better than banded crickets... maybe it's rose tinted glasses but I do not like the banded crickets.

Or you could just abandon crickets and set up a grey bird grasshopper colony. They're probably better feeders for chameleons anyway because they are diurnal and arboreal, and @SauceGandhi has a permit to sell them in California. They're very closely related to the desert locust sold as a standard feeder in Europe. They're also (unlike all these other species) native to California, so if they get loose it's not like you're threatening the environment.

 

[jamest0o0]

It sounds like you're basically doing things right. I have not personally bred this species though. Maybe increase the protein in their diet? I have read this species can be actively predatory in the wild.

Some other ideas if you're not able to get them dialed in: the book I cited also mentions Gryllus assimilis, a species that is similarly meaty but supposedly does better at higher pop. density. Roach Crossing currently sells that species. You could also try to track down some of the OG Acheta house crickets that basically were extirpated from the pet trade in the early 2010s by that cricket virus (I have been tossing around the idea of doing this - no idea if anyone sells them, though I do know where there's an invasive population). The Acheta crickets were meatier than the banded crickets everyone sells nowadays, and if you could establish a closed colony for personal use I doubt they'd be high risk for getting killed off by the virus. I keep seeing Acheta when I visit reptile exhibits in Zoos/Aquariums and they just look so much better than banded crickets... maybe it's rose tinted glasses but I do not like the banded crickets.

Or you could just abandon crickets and set up a grey bird grasshopper colony. They're probably better feeders for chameleons anyway because they are diurnal and arboreal, and @SauceGandhi has a permit to sell them in California. They're very closely related to the desert locust sold as a standard feeder in Europe. They're also (unlike all these other species) native to California, so if they get loose it's not like you're threatening the environment.

IDK, I’m team banded. The acheta could be meatier and no harm using them of course, but they are sooo much more of a PITA to breed and keep alive than bandeds. I always felt the bandeds looked healthier more often. I think the virus initially set the house crickets back and then people caught on to the overall convenience of bandeds. Plus bandeds tend to eat more IME(just my own observation).

 

[scags]

It sounds like you're basically doing things right. I have not personally bred this species though. Maybe increase the protein in their diet? I have read this species can be actively predatory in the wild.

Some other ideas if you're not able to get them dialed in: the book I cited also mentions Gryllus assimilis, a species that is similarly meaty but supposedly does better at higher pop. density. Roach Crossing currently sells that species. You could also try to track down some of the OG Acheta house crickets that basically were extirpated from the pet trade in the early 2010s by that cricket virus (I have been tossing around the idea of doing this - no idea if anyone sells them, though I do know where there's an invasive population). The Acheta crickets were meatier than the banded crickets everyone sells nowadays, and if you could establish a closed colony for personal use I doubt they'd be high risk for getting killed off by the virus. I keep seeing Acheta when I visit reptile exhibits in Zoos/Aquariums and they just look so much better than banded crickets... maybe it's rose tinted glasses but I do not like the banded crickets.

Or you could just abandon crickets and set up a grey bird grasshopper colony. They're probably better feeders for chameleons anyway because they are diurnal and arboreal, and @SauceGandhi has a permit to sell them in California. They're very closely related to the desert locust sold as a standard feeder in Europe. They're also (unlike all these other species) native to California, so if they get loose it's not like you're threatening the environment.

Ha, I’ve bred the Acheta crickets. They do fairly well. Haven’t bred them in a while. Sometimes I can find sellers online- I think Critter Depot carry’s them from time to time.
I’ve actually got some grasshoppers from SauceGhandi. I tried differential and grey bird hoppers. I got eggs from both but I wasn’t able to successfully hatch them out. I should try again. I also tried wild caught green bird hoppers as well as Chinese katydids. Was able to successfully get eggs from both species- but again not able to hatch them out. I tried doing a 2 month refrigerated diapause followed by warm humid conditions. No luck.

As far as roach crossing. I’ll reach out to him. I bought roaches from him a few years ago, giant green bananas, and dusky cave roaches. He always has a cool variety of insects.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[scags]

IDK, I’m team banded. The acheta could be meatier and no harm using them of course, but they are sooo much more of a PITA to breed and keep alive than bandeds. I always felt the bandeds looked healthier more often. I think the virus initially set the house crickets back and then people caught on to the overall convenience of bandeds. Plus bandeds tend to eat more IME(just my own observation).

I hate the banded crickets. Way too jumpy and too small. I have been breeding them, but they just don’t suit my larger chams very well.
Here in socal, I actually find banded crickets everywhere around houses. And my escapees have populated my garage- which my wife hates.

To each their own though. Banded crickets are just fine. I just find the larger crickets easier to handle and feed off.

 

[scags]

It sounds like you're basically doing things right. I have not personally bred this species though. Maybe increase the protein in their diet? I have read this species can be actively predatory in the wild.

Some other ideas if you're not able to get them dialed in: the book I cited also mentions Gryllus assimilis, a species that is similarly meaty but supposedly does better at higher pop. density. Roach Crossing currently sells that species. You could also try to track down some of the OG Acheta house crickets that basically were extirpated from the pet trade in the early 2010s by that cricket virus (I have been tossing around the idea of doing this - no idea if anyone sells them, though I do know where there's an invasive population). The Acheta crickets were meatier than the banded crickets everyone sells nowadays, and if you could establish a closed colony for personal use I doubt they'd be high risk for getting killed off by the virus. I keep seeing Acheta when I visit reptile exhibits in Zoos/Aquariums and they just look so much better than banded crickets... maybe it's rose tinted glasses but I do not like the banded crickets.

Or you could just abandon crickets and set up a grey bird grasshopper colony. They're probably better feeders for chameleons anyway because they are diurnal and arboreal, and @SauceGandhi has a permit to sell them in California. They're very closely related to the desert locust sold as a standard feeder in Europe. They're also (unlike all these other species) native to California, so if they get loose it's not like you're threatening the environment.

Also, I went checked out Roach Crossing. $40 for 12 Jamaican field crickets…kind of pricey. I’m supposed to go to Florida in February, maybe I’ll collect some myself.

 

[jamest0o0]

I hate the banded crickets. Way too jumpy and too small. I have been breeding them, but they just don’t suit my larger chams very well.
Here in socal, I actually find banded crickets everywhere around houses. And my escapees have populated my garage- which my wife hates.

To each their own though. Banded crickets are just fine. I just find the larger crickets easier to handle and feed off.

The jumpy part is fair, but I never found them to be too small and I was feeding a parsons and 5 panthers at one point. I also bred and sold 50+ species of roaches, phasmids, beetles, katydids, crickets, etc so I had a lot of options for my reptiles. Maybe if I didn’t have so many options the size difference would have been more noticeable to me. I could see how they wouldn’t die as easy if escaped, I even had a tiny colony living in my one large bio enclosure for over a year before I had to tear the enclosure down for a move. For most people their hardiness is a plus.

You seem like someone committed to breeding and raising healthy crickets so I could see how the larger/more sensitive ones would appeal for your situation. To most people that just want to buy crickets to feed, and hate seeing half of them die a day after buying, the bandeds have become far more popular.

Anyway, getting off track with your thread. I’d love to follow a long and see if you can get some of these going. I always like seeing when there’s less common feeders people are working with.

 

[jamest0o0]

Saw you mention roachcrossing, definitely pricey for most things, but is nice for specific species that are difficult to find elsewhere.

 

[scags]

The jumpy part is fair, but I never found them to be too small and I was feeding a parsons and 5 panthers at one point. I also bred and sold 50+ species of roaches, phasmids, beetles, katydids, crickets, etc so I had a lot of options for my reptiles. Maybe if I didn’t have so many options the size difference would have been more noticeable to me. I could see how they wouldn’t die as easy if escaped, I even had a tiny colony living in my one large bio enclosure for over a year before I had to tear the enclosure down for a move. For most people their hardiness is a plus.

You seem like someone committed to breeding and raising healthy crickets so I could see how the larger/more sensitive ones would appeal for your situation. To most people that just want to buy crickets to feed, and hate seeing half of them die a day after buying, the bandeds have become far more popular.

Anyway, getting off track with your thread. I’d love to follow a long and see if you can get some of these going. I always like seeing when there’s less common feeders people are working with.

Yeah, I mean banded crickets suffice. I also don’t mind them living in my garage and around the outside of the house. I’m not annoyed at the sound of chirping crickets- they’re not loud anyhow. And I think I do like breeding less common feeders. Not sure why. I keep all kinds of insects. Not all of them for feeding purposes.
I’m still puzzled at my failure with grasshoppers. Also puzzled with my failure with Chinese katydids. I got tons of eggs from them. I tried several substrates, tried refrigerating, not refrigerating, didn’t seem to matter. Not a single one hatched.
I got them from Aliexpress as eggs, and those hatched easily. Nearly all of them made it to adult size, and did well in screen cages being fed veggies and occasional crickets. They’d be good feeders for larger reptiles- but they do pack some mean mandibles. So people should feed them off with caution.

I’ll post in here if I have more success with the bimaculatus. Right now I have about 100 adults, laying tons of eggs. A few have hatched already, just waiting to see how they do. I have them on a heating mat, and feeding fresh leafy greens, grains, and some fish food. Keeping the tub dry and warm.
Hopefully I get more babies to reach maturity.

 

[scags]

Saw you mention roachcrossing, definitely pricey for most things, but is nice for specific species that are difficult to find elsewhere.

Yeah might buy some of the Jamaican field crickets. He also has katydids- which is tempting!

 

[SauceGandhi]

re: your original post, sounds like mites. Would need to remove all humidity source and grains, seeds, etc.

Katydids are cool, but the eggs are weird and annoying to hatch so I only produce 1 gen/year. They also can't be as densely packed as hoppers and are much less prolific.

Also, roachcrossing's pricing is astonishing lol. If you know anyone who wants lubbers, just send them my way. You do not need to pay 30 bucks for one, or 20 for one katydid nymph? and not even the legal kind? holy moly

 

[scags]

re: your original post, sounds like mites. Would need to remove all humidity source and grains, seeds, etc.

Katydids are cool, but the eggs are weird and annoying to hatch so I only produce 1 gen/year. They also can't be as densely packed as hoppers and are much less prolific.

Also, roachcrossing's pricing is astonishing lol. If you know anyone who wants lubbers, just send them my way. You do not need to pay 30 bucks for one, or 20 for one katydid nymph? and not even the legal kind? holy moly

Luckily I got rid of the mites. I think the humidity was too high, and then when it dipped they were covering the crickets trying to get moisture from their mouths.

Yeah katydids are cool. I’ve always wanted to try breeding/hatching them. I used to live in Michigan and in late summer we had some huge ones. I never kept them long though, just would collect to feed to my chams.

Right now I have some jungle nymph eggs incubating, as well as some Malaysian leaf insects. Not as food items, just as a little project.

I wish lubbers weren’t bad tasting. Otherwise I’d breed some of those to feed to my chams. Haha.

In a few weeks I might buy some hoppers from you if you have any available.

 

[SauceGandhi]

Yeah I should have some. Apparently the Oustalets in FL were eating a ton of lubbers, but I'm still too scared to test it out lol. All I know for sure is that they're non-toxic right after molting, until they harden and start eating again. So, that's the only time I feed them off.