Grasshopper breeding success!

[Rst_Cham]

So over the past few months I've been keeping wild caught grasshoppers in an enclosure and they've been busy laying eggs cases. Since I have multiple breeds (I just throw everything I catch into same enclosure) I'm not sure which species have just hatched but I have dozens of tiny grasshoppers now!

The first batch of eggs I got I put in the fridge for diapause, they've been in there for about a month and a half so far.

The second batch I got I just closed up the Tupperware of sand they laid in and put that straight in a larger plastic bin which I heated with a CHE to about 85. They are just hatching now, after about 3-4 weeks in there, no diapause. I'll have to wait until they get bigger before I'll be able to tell what species this is.

I'm pretty excited though since my cham loves hoppers. I wasn't really expecting success so I'm pretty surprised!

 

[Ramrod]

Awsome wish I had a dozen or two.

 

[Tony_S]

nice, I guess some species of eggs don't need diapause?

 

[Rst_Cham]

nice, I guess some species of eggs don't need diapause?

I really thought the species I had needed diapause which is why I put all of the first batch in fridge. Second batch I was letting develop for a month before putting in fridge. I was actually moving them to fridge this morning when I noticed that a bunch had hatched! I can't wait for them to get bigger so I can figure out what species these are.

 

[snitz427]

woohoo! Congrats!!

 

[Tony_S]

nice bonus on skipping the diapause/time delay.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Win!

 

[snitz427]

those babies look a lot like the babies I had from my differential and/or red legged grasshoppers. I think more like differential, but they change so much as they grow.

fingers crossed my group reproduces! I only stand a chance at the red legged grasshoppers - I only have one differential adult

 

[Kaizen]

So over the past few months I've been keeping wild caught grasshoppers in an enclosure and they've been busy laying eggs cases. Since I have multiple breeds (I just throw everything I catch into same enclosure) I'm not sure which species have just hatched but I have dozens of tiny grasshoppers now!

The first batch of eggs I got I put in the fridge for diapause, they've been in there for about a month and a half so far.

The second batch I got I just closed up the Tupperware of sand they laid in and put that straight in a larger plastic bin which I heated with a CHE to about 85. They are just hatching now, after about 3-4 weeks in there, no diapause. I'll have to wait until they get bigger before I'll be able to tell what species this is.

I'm pretty excited though since my cham loves hoppers. I wasn't really expecting success so I'm pretty surprised!

Mail me some

 

[Rst_Cham]

those babies look a lot like the babies I had from my differential and/or red legged grasshoppers. I think more like differential, but they change so much as they grow.

fingers crossed my group reproduces! I only stand a chance at the red legged grasshoppers - I only have one differential adult

Fingers crossed for you! I know I had both those species plus a couple others. What did you feed your baby grasshoppers?

 

[snitz427]

Fingers crossed for you! I know I had both those species plus a couple others. What did you feed your baby grasshoppers?

I caught them as young nymphs and gave them and the katydids white oak leaves, primarily. I’s throw in a little raspberry here and there and a tiny piece of bug burger, carrot, or lettuce maybe once a week, or less. They seem to have all done well on that diet.

 

[Rst_Cham]

I caught them as young nymphs and gave them and the katydids white oak leaves, primarily. I’s throw in a little raspberry here and there and a tiny piece of bug burger, carrot, or lettuce maybe once a week, or less. They seem to have all done well on that diet.

Thanks so much. Winter here already so I'm limited on what I can feed unfortunately.

 

[snitz427]

Thanks so much. Winter here already so I'm limited on what I can feed unfortunately.

Im trying to sprout little oak trees from acorns... so far no matter how hard I stare, nothing has sprouted! If successful im happy to send some acorns. They’ll also eat grasses like wheatgrass... you may have better luck finding and growing those grasses. Cant imagine they’ll eat it as fast as stick bugs do - and you can find the grasses at pet stores and whole food stores.

 

[SauceGandhi]

Whoa, those are Melanoplus sp. nymphs. They are supposed to diapause for the most part. How many individuals hatched? If its only a few, definitely keep all of them and start a non-diapausing line.

 

[SauceGandhi]

Thanks so much. Winter here already so I'm limited on what I can feed unfortunately.

They will eat literally any leafy green from the grocery store, so you're all good lol. Romaine lettuce is great since it takes the longest to dry out.

 

[JacksJill]

That picture looks like the grasshopperpocalypse.

 

[JoXie411]

They will eat literally any leafy green from the grocery store, so you're all good lol. Romaine lettuce is great since it takes the longest to dry out.

View attachment 249930

Wow I trade you snails

 

[Rst_Cham]

Whoa, those are Melanoplus sp. nymphs. They are supposed to diapause for the most part. How many individuals hatched? If its only a few, definitely keep all of them and start a non-diapausing line.

Whoops, sorry, I just realized I never responded. About 35 nymphs hatched without diapause. They're getting big now and definitely looking like Melanoplus sp. like you said. I also thought they were supposed to diapause. I had put a bunch of eggs in the fridge as well, and pulled the first lot out one week ago. For this diapaused lot, I had let them develop at about 80 degrees for 3 weeks before starting diapause, then into the fridge for 2 months, then out for a week (heated again back to 80-85) and they just started emerging this morning. Yay!

My cham is going to be eating well this winter! I currently have baby silkworms, baby hoppers, baby crickets, and 3 types of roaches going. My sticks are also getting big and eating lots so someday I hope to have baby sticks as well. Bug breeding is fun. Who knew.

 

[SauceGandhi]

Awesome, that's exactly how I do it too haha congrats!

 

[Tony_S]

Whoops, sorry, I just realized I never responded. About 35 nymphs hatched without diapause. They're getting big now and definitely looking like Melanoplus sp. like you said. I also thought they were supposed to diapause. I had put a bunch of eggs in the fridge as well, and pulled the first lot out one week ago. For this diapaused lot, I had let them develop at about 80 degrees for 3 weeks before starting diapause, then into the fridge for 2 months, then out for a week (heated again back to 80-85) and they just started emerging this morning. Yay!

My cham is going to be eating well this winter! I currently have baby silkworms, baby hoppers, baby crickets, and 3 types of roaches going. My sticks are also getting big and eating lots so someday I hope to have baby sticks as well. Bug breeding is fun. Who knew.

Nice, you have quite the feeder factory going.