livefood pests

[Drew Acton]

dose any one have any ideas on what the little black caterpillar looking things are in my box of live food?

[Steven Williams]

Yes. They sound like the beetle larvae that I get in my crickets. They feed on the dead crickets (I'm presuming you're keeping crickets too) and whatever fruit you feed the crickets. I'm not sure how good they are for your live food though. I don't take the risk. I don't keep my crickets in their small, postal tub, I transfer them to a new, larger container, this means that I can separate the beetles and larvae from the crickets when doing the transfer. If you leave the larvae they turn into small black beetles that can fly. The beetles are pests. It is not fun trying to catch flying beetles as they zoom round your room. I suggest getting a new container for your crickets (or other live food) and moving them into that, leaving the larvae behind. I'll speak to one of my friends tomorrow who knows much more about beetles than I do and see what he thinks.

All the best,

Steven

[lynn mawdesley]

I remembering asking this question myself ages ago ...carpet beetles and if i remember correctly Phil mentioned they are used in museums also to clean skulls.
Some people do feed them to their spids i personally dont ...i wouldnt say that they are a great concern though in regards to seperating them from crix etc they are there to serve a purpose

[Phil Rea]

I remembering asking this question myself ages ago ...carpet beetles and if i remember correctly Phil mentioned they are used in museums also to clean skulls.
Some people do feed them to their spids i personally dont ...i wouldnt say that they are a great concern though in regards to seperating them from crix etc they are there to serve a purpose

That's right. They are dermestid beetle larvae, and are in there as a clean up crew for mopping up dead crickets and the like so leave them in there, they're working

[Drew Acton]

thanks i fort the may have been some sort of moth or something but seeing as there doing a job il let them be.

thanks guys

[Steven Williams]

That's right. They are dermestid beetle larvae, and are in there as a clean up crew for mopping up dead crickets and the like so leave them in there, they're working

That's the name, couldn't remember what they were called. I shall put mine back in then! Lol. Save on the cleaning.

Steven