Collecting Insects as Reptiles & Amphibian Food: Traps & Tips

[findiviglio]

Hi, Frank Indiviglio here. I’m a herpetologist, zoologist, and book author, recently retired from a career spent at several zoos, aquariums, and museums, including over 20 years with the Bronx Zoo.
Although it’s below freezing here in NY, my thoughts are straying to a favorite warm-weather activity – collecting insects for my herp collection. Invariably, I find species that are new to me, and others that I wind up keeping alive in small terrariums. Drawing on a lifetime of collecting for my pets and the animals under my care at the Bronx Zoo, I’ve written articles on capturing, using, and breeding many invertebrates, including sap beetles, leaf litter dwellers, “meadow plankton”, earwigs, sow bugs, grasshoppers, and many others. In this article, I’ll summarize my favorite collection techniques and traps. Links to articles containing further information are also included. As I and other herp-keepers have barely scratched the surface of this topic, please be sure to post your own thoughts and experiences below. Read the rest of this article here Collecting Insects as Reptile Pet Food - Tips | That Reptile Blog
Please also check out my posts on Twitter http://bitly.com/JP27Nj and Facebook http://on.fb.me/KckP1m

My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with: That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog

Best Regards, Frank

[Silkmoth]

I love moth time! I catch moths at certain lights around my town for my mantids. Im so looking forward to getting them for my froggies too this year.
Note: my mantids always refuse to eat the banded tussock moth. They drop it immediatly after grabbing it. They may go so far as to start to bite a wing but that's all.
Do frogs do the same? Would only native frogs do it? I have one whites tree frog and four firebellies. I wont try the moth with them, just others but Im curious to know if the frogs sense whats good and what isn't.

[Tongue Flicker]

I love moth time! I catch moths at certain lights around my town for my mantids. Im so looking forward to getting them for my froggies too this year.
Note: my mantids always refuse to eat the banded tussock moth. They drop it immediatly after grabbing it. They may go so far as to start to bite a wing but that's all.
Do frogs do the same? Would only native frogs do it? I have one whites tree frog and four firebellies. I wont try the moth with them, just others but Im curious to know if the frogs sense whats good and what isn't.

They don't sense what's good or bad. They are attracted to movement. They will spit it out if it doesn't taste good to them

[Silkmoth]

Thats good they will spit out bad tasting things. The banded tussock moth is a pretty tan moth with delicate lines on the wings. The important part: they have two teal/turquoise lines on its throrax. It releases a nasty tasting liquid there.

[Bombina Bob]

I love collecting moths for my Chorus frogs, they usually chase them around the terrarium

[JeffreH]

Thats good they will spit out bad tasting things. The banded tussock moth is a pretty tan moth with delicate lines on the wings. The important part: they have two teal/turquoise lines on its throrax. It releases a nasty tasting liquid there.

I would avoid feeding Arctiids in general. Most, if not all of them sequester nasty, toxic metabolites from their host plants during development.

It's good practice when feeding moths to identify the host-plant ranges of the larvae prior to feeding. Secondary metabolite sequestering is a very common practice in Lep larvae...I presume the toxins remain through pupation and adulthood in most species.

[Tongue Flicker]

I would avoid feeding Arctiids in general. Most, if not all of them sequester nasty, toxic metabolites from their host plants during development.

It's good practice when feeding moths to identify the host-plant ranges of the larvae prior to feeding. Secondary metabolite sequestering is a very common practice in Lep larvae...I presume the toxins remain through pupation and adulthood in most species.

Yes, they sure do but to an extent that it is not as potent as they were during larval stage. Hormonal changes during pupation and adulthood somehow dilutes the sequestered toxins. Then again, better safe than sorry.

[Bombina Bob]

not to worry, most moths i feed were waxworm pupa

[findiviglio]

I love moth time! I catch moths at certain lights around my town for my mantids. Im so looking forward to getting them for my froggies too this year.
Note: my mantids always refuse to eat the banded tussock moth. They drop it immediatly after grabbing it. They may go so far as to start to bite a wing but that's all.
Do frogs do the same? Would only native frogs do it? I have one whites tree frog and four firebellies. I wont try the moth with them, just others but Im curious to know if the frogs sense whats good and what isn't.

Hi,

Thanks for your interest. Native species tend to reject distasteful insects...learned behavior in some cases, but there's also evidence of evolved aversions. Non-native frogs may try them, unless there is a native species exhibiting simialr warning colors/patterns etc. Enjoy, best, Frank

[Silkmoth]

Thank you! I love the Bug Napper. I hang that up outside in the spring and watch for moths. I like the heavier bodied moths for my bigger female mantids and when they show up, I start driving around to my favorite places. Im looking forward to giving some to my frogs. I want to catch a local gray tree frog. It will teach me whats good and what's not.

Later in the summer when the container of the Bug Napper fills too fast, I take that off and hang the napper up and then put a butterfly mesh cage over it. I leave part of the door open so bugs will go in but clip the cag in place so it doesnt fall. I will take pics when its moth time. The whole cage glows so its a bigger attracter! It looks kind of alien.

[findiviglio]

Thank you! I love the Bug Napper. I hang that up outside in the spring and watch for moths. I like the heavier bodied moths for my bigger female mantids and when they show up, I start driving around to my favorite places. Im looking forward to giving some to my frogs. I want to catch a local gray tree frog. It will teach me whats good and what's not.

Later in the summer when the container of the Bug Napper fills too fast, I take that off and hang the napper up and then put a butterfly mesh cage over it. I leave part of the door open so bugs will go in but clip the cag in place so it doesnt fall. I will take pics when its moth time. The whole cage glows so its a bigger attracter! It looks kind of alien.

Thanks! I sometimes post notes/articles on Zoo Med's FB page...they would like to see this comment, would you mind? best., Frank

[Silkmoth]

Please go ahead and post it there. I like Zoomed. Thank you!

[findiviglio]

Please go ahead and post it there. I like Zoomed. Thank you!

Sorry for the delay...thanks very much, I posted your comments, More snow due here in NY...moths will have to hold off a bit longer! One of my Chinese mantids made it until mid-January this year; produced an egg case w/o mating; unfortunately, ootheca not fully-formed and she died i process; spurred me to check if parthenogenesis has been documented....best, Frank

[Silkmoth]

Chinese arent parthogenetic. I wish they were. I know of several people who breed mantids if you want babies. Are you a member of any mantis forums?

[findiviglio]

Chinese arent parthogenetic. I wish they were. I know of several people who breed mantids if you want babies. Are you a member of any mantis forums?

Thanks for the info and offer, much appreciated. They breed in my yard, I've been hatching one and rearing a few for my little nephew for past several years; may start back with other species in future, I'll be in touch, best, Frank