Do crickets and roaches need to cool down at night?

[Reptofreak]

Just wondering if I should shut off their heat sources at night or is it best to keep them at optimal breeding temps 24 hour a day?

Bill

 

[Kaizen]

I am currently writing a blog about this and other oft overlooked questions. There is always a ton of info out there about good gutload ingredients ingredients, good bug sanitation, etc. But I haven’t yet seen anyone discuss this question. And, since most of us keep our bugs in our reptile rooms—which obviously have a nightime drop—it would seem an important question. Judging from nightime conditions, basically anywhere on earth, it would seem most living things have evolved to experience a nightime temp drop, but I can’t remember reading a post that says so.

 

[Reptofreak]

I can’t remember reading a post that says so.

Exactly, I can’t recall ever reading anything about it either. I figured someone on here would surely be able to educate me on the subject.

Bill

 

[Kaizen]

I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help, but once my blog is done, there’ll be a whole bunch of these kind of questions raised, with the hope that someone will read it, and weigh in.

 

[kinyonga]

What would happen if they were living in their natural habitat?
Shouldn't that be what happens in captivity?

 

[USMC1981]

Depends on where they are from but temps usually drop at least a few degrees no matter where you are in world

 

[Reptofreak]

What would happen if they were living in their natural habitat?
Shouldn't that be what happens in captivity?

Typicality yes, but I’m talking for optimal breeding output. Was just wondering if anyone knew definitively if cooling them down or keeping them warm would make a difference in production.

Bill

 

[kinyonga]

What species?
This might help with a beta domestics...
https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/LBB_0049_1_0961-0969.pdf
"Whilst among the physical control parameters environmental temperature has been crystallized out as highly essential with regard to the amount of produced eggs (e.g., UVAROV 1977, LABARBERA 1989, HONĚK 1993, STURM 1999, 2008, 2010, 2011), body size, expressed by body mass, has been evaluated as important biological parameter influencing reproductive fitness (STURM 2011, 2014, 2016a). According to the comprehensive scientific results summarized in the review of WHITMAN (2008) body mass is assumed to represent a trait with enormous biological consequences for the orthopteran insects (Fig. 1): Besides its valuable effect on repro- duction in both female and male individuals, it also has a remarkable influence on the physiological efficiency, competitive capacity, and mating success of the animals".

 

[Reptofreak]

What species?
This might help with a beta domestics...
https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/LBB_0049_1_0961-0969.pdf

I’m working with banded crickets and dubia roaches. In the article you linked from what I gathered they kept that species at twenty five degrees Celsius, seventy seven Fahrenheit. Which I would think was the optimal breeding temp for that particular specimen.

Bill

 

[jamest0o0]

I am currently writing a blog about this and other oft overlooked questions. There is always a ton of info out there about good gutload ingredients ingredients, good bug sanitation, etc. But I haven’t yet seen anyone discuss this question. And, since most of us keep our bugs in our reptile rooms—which obviously have a nightime drop—it would seem an important question. Judging from nightime conditions, basically anywhere on earth, it would seem most living things have evolved to experience a nightime temp drop, but I can’t remember reading a post that says so.

It's because you're reading in the wrong places. No offense to the forums, it's not anyone's here intention or specialty and doesn't matter all that much if they're being used as feeders, but this is discussed among invert groups and I brought this up on another forum several months back. With things like dubia, orangehead, and 99% of the inverts we come across as feeders, sure they probably benefit a little, but I guarantee it won't make an huge difference unless you're trying to maximize colony production and even then they might just reproduce more when kept warm all the time. There is definitely tricky roaches and other inverts, but anyone keeping them is probably well aware because they would have to seek them out.

 

[jamest0o0]

Most inverts are pretty simple relative to reptiles, they may not NEED a night drop and may just reproduce better kept warm all the time(depending on the species). Just because they have a night drop in the wild doesn't mean they can't breed even more if they are always warm. Then again, maybe not. My point is that sometimes our own little man-controlled worlds are more effective than what they would experience in the wild.

 

[kinyonga]

"G. sigillatus requires a warm, tropical climate. Indeed, it occupies such habitats in its world- wide distribution, including Australia. This climate allows G. sigillatus to breed continuously, although reproduction and development is likely to be slowed with a reduction in temperature."...
https://www.environment.gov.au/syst...llodes-sigillatus-draft-assessment-report.pdf

Something else to consider...
"Obtained results showed that survival did not depend on the initial density in culture containers while crickets kept at a high density had smaller body length. The results may affect the optimization of house cricket breeding."...
https://www.researchgate.net/public...llodes_sigillatus_Walker_Orthoptera_Gryllidae

And more...
"Analysis of the number of nymphs produced by females revealed a significant interaction between the number of spermatophylaxes consumed and water availability. When spermatophylaxes were not provided, females given water ad libitum produced significantly more nymphs than females subjected to water stress."...
https://www.science.gov/topicpages/c/cricket+gryllodes+sigillatus.html

 

[kinyonga]

Last one I'm posting on the crickets...
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/n...l-house-crickets-gryllodes-sigillatus.290786/

 

[Kaizen]

Big thanks to both @jamest0o0 and @kinyonga for super helpful answers here! You guys are stars!

 

[Thatwizard420]

Depends on where they are from but temps usually drop at least a few degrees no matter where you are in world

It was 77 degrees F yesterday during the day here in Tucson
37 F at night
Gotta love those Temp drops
The Few I have Don't seem to be that active if its cold. (Dubia-Ivory)

 

[Reptofreak]

@kinyonga thanks for all the informative links, I’ll read through them over my lunch break.

Bill

 

[USMC1981]

It was 77 degrees F yesterday during the day here in Tucson
37 F at night
Gotta love those Temp drops
The Few I have Don't seem to be that active if its cold. (Dubia-Ivory)

Your thermostat must be exhausted. We still hear crickets outside, but lowest temps have gotten is 40 so far

 

[kinyonga]

@Kaizen Glad I could help!
@Reptofreak I hope it helps!

 

[jagmom98]

Typicality yes, but I’m talking for optimal breeding output. Was just wondering if anyone knew definitively if cooling them down or keeping them warm would make a difference in production.

Bill

when I had dubias, I had them on the same cycle as the chams. I think they bred better. Just my two cents though.

 

[Reptofreak]

when I had dubias, I had them on the same cycle as the chams. I think they bred better. Just my two cents though.

Thanks for your input. So far I have kept mine in a closet at a constant 90 degrees. Seems to be working well, but I may put them on a timer soon and see if production Increases or decreases.

Bill