Small mites in with feeder crickets?

[MandaRyan]

I'm just curious as we just got our first ever order of crickets in through the mail and there were a bunch of mites in with them? I'm just wondering if this is normal or if there was a issue with the shipment. I tried the search feature and only found stuff about grain mites that they described as small and white which these are not. They are small black bugs and seem to be a little bit bigger then what the people in the forums were talking about. Thanks in advance for the help.....

 

[kinyonga]

Are you sure they are mites? Do they fly?

 

[MandaRyan]

I don't think they fly. They are just crawling all over the egg cartons with the crickets.

 

[ciafardo 4]

Are you sure they are mites? Do they fly?

bet they are the dreaded phorid flys they seem to come with alot of crickets and they dont fly that much they mostly scatter around in a jerky motion what do you think kinyonga?

 

[kinyonga]

That's what I was thinking. Some of the species of phorid flies are quite small. Not saying that there couldn't be some kind of mite in with the crickets. I've seen a variety of things come in with them.

 

[Cainschams]

What are those worm like things? They arent black but pretty dark with a yellowish tint on the underside. Also have many legs. Maybe oh 1/4 of an inch long. I see these in my crix everyonce in a while. I throw them out because I dont know if they would be good to feed.

 

[tryme]

I had crix once with some flying bugs. is this normal?

 

[kinyonga]

cainschams...these? (Not sure if this is the exact one found in the crickets or not)..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Larder_beetle_grub.jpg

 

[kinyonga]

tryme...if they are about the size of a fruit fly and when on a surface move with a jerky motion, they are phorid flies. They often come in with the crickets. They are associated with filth and can transmit disease.

 

[Cainschams]

Yes I think they look very familiar at least. Although I didnt have such a close up of them I didnt read anything about them being bad. I just pinched them dead and tossed them but if its safe to feed then why not? Oh and one more question. I also get those earwigs that find there way to the bins. I toss those too?