Question for bug-folk

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Every evening after sunset I go for a short walk to the field by my house and wrangle up some bugs. Katydids are the main focus, but i also collect the occasional horn worm, moth, cricket, carolina locusts, misc lubbers (I'm pretty much afraid of collecting these as a general rule), etc. [See pic for last night's collection]


From left to right:
Some kind of gray/beige "grasshopper" [lubber of some king?] (released this morning)
2 cups - two horn worms, one with a cool pattern (pattern resembles their natural habitat and food source). Other looks like a typical hornworm, just bright neon green.
3 cups + 1 upside down - Katydids. The top one that's right side up has what I believe is a nymph.

So my questions are:
Can anyone get a good enough look at the first hopper and give me any kind of info about it? My phone died after that pic and I released him this morning before thinking about it.

Regarding katydids; the one that is in the upside down cup is "special". He/she/it was carrying 2 eggs. I have not really been able to keep these captive for longer than a few days... much less had eggs. Should I separate the eggs from the bug? Are they "live birthers"? Do they need fertilized or could they already be? Also, if anyone is willing to share a food source. I collected some misc fauna to put in the box with her alone. I will add a pic of her/eggs when I'm back at the house.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JacksJill]

Don't feed wild caught hornworms they tend to eat toxic plants.

 

[Lennoncham]

Can’t see the hopper clear enough to I’d. Don’t feed wildcaught hornworms. The stuff they eat in the wild is poisonous to chams.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

I appreciate the word of warning, but I do know that what they eat may be toxic. That is why I dont feed them to my chams. I keep them separate from my store bought ones and feed them my diet - then feed them to the same bearded dragon that's been eating the same worms from the same field for some time now. Or I let them turn to pupae and so I can breed them.I too would advise anyone against doing this (and I have told people not to).
On top of their potential toxicity, many of the hornworms in the area are carriers of wasp eggs... or something similar.

 

[Lennoncham]

I appreciate the word of warning, but I do know that what they eat may be toxic. That is why I dont feed them to my chams. I keep them separate from my store bought ones and feed them my diet - then feed them to the same bearded dragon that's been eating the same worms from the same field for some time now. Or I let them turn to pupae and so I can breed them.I too would advise anyone against doing this (and I have told people not to).
On top of their potential toxicity, many of the hornworms in the area are carriers of wasp eggs... or something similar.

These “wasp eggs” do they look like this? If so that’s a type of parasite and would make me wary of feeding any of them from that area.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

These “wasp eggs” do they look like this? If so that’s a type of parasite and would make me wary of feeding any of them from that area. View attachment 245422

You got it. Helpful to know it's a parasite. Not at all surprising. I figured whatever it was, it was bad and I treated it like the plague. That's also the reason I keep everything wild caught separate from everything in disposable containers. I'm careful, promise.

 

[Ramrod]

Caught a kaydydid yesterday which are very rare in my area. Put it in my chams enclosure and it lasted about 2 seconds.
Wish there were more around here.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Caught a kaydydid yesterday which are very rare in my area. Put it in my chams enclosure and it lasted about 2 seconds.
Wish there were more around here.

Yea, which there were more here as well. I just can't seem to get them to breed... then I wouldn't have to find them as often. They make such great snacks!

 

[snitz427]

Every evening after sunset I go for a short walk to the field by my house and wrangle up some bugs. Katydids are the main focus, but i also collect the occasional horn worm, moth, cricket, carolina locusts, misc lubbers (I'm pretty much afraid of collecting these as a general rule), etc. [See pic for last night's collection]
View attachment 245419

From left to right:
Some kind of gray/beige "grasshopper" [lubber of some king?] (released this morning)
2 cups - two horn worms, one with a cool pattern (pattern resembles their natural habitat and food source). Other looks like a typical hornworm, just bright neon green.
3 cups + 1 upside down - Katydids. The top one that's right side up has what I believe is a nymph.

So my questions are:
Can anyone get a good enough look at the first hopper and give me any kind of info about it? My phone died after that pic and I released him this morning before thinking about it.

Regarding katydids; the one that is in the upside down cup is "special". He/she/it was carrying 2 eggs. I have not really been able to keep these captive for longer than a few days... much less had eggs. Should I separate the eggs from the bug? Are they "live birthers"? Do they need fertilized or could they already be? Also, if anyone is willing to share a food source. I collected some misc fauna to put in the box with her alone. I will add a pic of her/eggs when I'm back at the house.

Thanks in advance!

Can you get a picture of the katydid carrying eggs? I'm trying to breed them but have no idea what to look for... I have a few species (meadow, common and true katydid) but not a lot of each. I know I have a few males as I can hear them calling, and assuming those with what looks like ovipositers are females. But haven't seen them "carrying" eggs. I have heard others talk about that so curious to see what it looks like.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Can you get a picture of the katydid carrying eggs? I'm trying to breed them but have no idea what to look for... I have a few species (meadow, common and true katydid) but not a lot of each. I know I have a few males as I can hear them calling, and assuming those with what looks like ovipositers are females. But haven't seen them "carrying" eggs. I have heard others talk about that so curious to see what it looks like.

Ha! Sorry. I had just gotten home to snap the shot when I noticed she didnt have her eggs. Either she has attached them somewhere, buried them, or stressed and just dropped them. (I haven't checked). Are you calling the ovipost the crescent moon shaped object that turns black/brown towards the tip? I'm not sure if that is or isn't a sexual organ... I dont know if the males and females have them or not? [By this I mean to say I'm ignorant as to how to distinguish between the sexes as of yet]
The calling, only the males do that? I track them based off the sound they make in order to grab them. Could be a male near to the female I found was calling and I thought it was her?
Do you know how they fertilize the eggs at all? Like do I need to get a male in here to do the biz on the eggs?

So many questions!!! Lol, I'll add some photos in a sec.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Can you get a picture of the katydid carrying eggs? I'm trying to breed them but have no idea what to look for... I have a few species (meadow, common and true katydid) but not a lot of each. I know I have a few males as I can hear them calling, and assuming those with what looks like ovipositers are females. But haven't seen them "carrying" eggs. I have heard others talk about that so curious to see what it looks like.

So the more I think about the more I'm mad I didnt take a photo of it last night... but my phone died. She had 2 small orbs attached to her VERY similar to what a "dragonball" looks like [what my son tells me, but it's true]. They were translucent with a yellow/gold tint and a teeny tiny speck of black in the egg - assumingly the embryo.
[The drawn in yellow dots are the approx location of the eggs. They're a little larger than they actually were but not by much. I had to get a good angle under her to notice it was 2 eggs and not one. Also of note was that I found her on a thick stalk of cat tail closer to the water level than the top]



So far I've not been able to find anything I'd definitely call an egg. I'm thinking this wasn't as good of an idea as I thought. I did find one that was similar in size and color of the eggs. If i can find any of the eggs, I'll be sure to let you know.


P.s. have you figured out a food source?

 

[snitz427]

Ha! Sorry. I had just gotten home to snap the shot when I noticed she didnt have her eggs. Either she has attached them somewhere, buried them, or stressed and just dropped them. (I haven't checked). Are you calling the ovipost the crescent moon shaped object that turns black/brown towards the tip? I'm not sure if that is or isn't a sexual organ... I dont know if the males and females have them or not? [By this I mean to say I'm ignorant as to how to distinguish between the sexes as of yet]
The calling, only the males do that? I track them based off the sound they make in order to grab them. Could be a male near to the female I found was calling and I thought it was her?
Do you know how they fertilize the eggs at all? Like do I need to get a male in here to do the biz on the eggs?

So many questions!!! Lol, I'll add some photos in a sec.

I'm not sure on any of those questions, honestly, as this is a new experiment for me. I believe the hook on the back is the ovipositor, I'm also fairly certain only the males call. I've done some random research on them and I believe I've found that info along the way. I don't know much about the actual mating/fertilization or egg laying, though.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kat...1.69i57j0l2.3551j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[snitz427]

@Hashtag ChamLife I feed mine mostly white oak leaves, as I use that for several other bugs, too. I also offer a small piece of carrot and bug burger now and then, too. I have some that have survived since spring on this diet so it must be working.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

@Hashtag ChamLife I feed mine mostly white oak leaves, as I use that for several other bugs, too. I also offer a small piece of carrot and bug burger now and then, too. I have some that have survived since spring on this diet so it must be working.

I've tried apple slices, hornworm and silkworm foods and well as hibiscus and money tree leaves. Seems the only thing that they have interest in is the money tree... which undoubtedly is the least helpful. [Other than it grows like a weed]

Quite honestly I'm new to all this bug stuff. I'm just interested in collecting as many possible food sources for my chams. Between the snails and silkworms I figured I'd see what I could find in the wild and "tame".

 

[snitz427]

I've tried apple slices, hornworm and silkworm foods and well as hibiscus and money tree leaves. Seems the only thing that they have interest in is the money tree... which undoubtedly is the least helpful. [Other than it grows like a weed]

Quite honestly I'm new to all this bug stuff. I'm just interested in collecting as many possible food sources for my chams. Between the snails and silkworms I figured I'd see what I could find in the wild and "tame".

Well, I've raised them much like stick insects. They eat various plants, so Oak is a safe bet. I've found them on my raspberry plant, so I'd bet that raspberry and bramble are ok, too. I'd try those, and maybe rose leaves and petals. They do occasionally eat dead insects so I give them a little piece of bug burger for protein now and then. White oak is my go to as it is easy to ID from anywhere, and readily available in my area. The challenge is what to do over winter... so I'll freeze some leaves but I'm also going to try to grow mini 6" tall oak trees from acorn.

 

[jamest0o0]

Bug people? Hi.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Well, I've raised them much like stick insects. They eat various plants, so Oak is a safe bet. I've found them on my raspberry plant, so I'd bet that raspberry and bramble are ok, too. I'd try those, and maybe rose leaves and petals. They do occasionally eat dead insects so I give them a little piece of bug burger for protein now and then. White oak is my go to as it is easy to ID from anywhere, and readily available in my area. The challenge is what to do over winter... so I'll freeze some leaves but I'm also going to try to grow mini 6" tall oak trees from acorn.

Ah. That's good. We dont get many trees proper in this part of Fl, but a few areas have old trees. May have to grab some. I do however have some massive sycamore across the street from me. However, I know less about plants than I do insects .... do you think sycamore would be a substitute?

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Bug people? Hi.

About time... been waiting for you... and Brody... lol.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Bug people? Hi.

Basically I have found a Katydid with eggs. Over night I stored her in a shoebox and when I checked she has dropped her eggs.

1) do I need to put the eggs with males to fertilize them?

2) should I be trying to dig up/find the eggs she's left somewhere in my shoebox?

I'm sure there's more questions I have asked... and more I can ask... =)

 

[snitz427]

Bug people? Hi.