Question about worms found in roach colony

[JeffreH]

I could see darkling beetles laying eggs in frass and surviving on the mixture of frass, dead bodies, and the occasional bit of salad delight offered to the roaches. I'm doubtful that they would actually harm the roaches unless you had massive quanitites of them... they aren't exactly speedy or overly voracious. I'm confident they can survive and breed with very little offered to them as well - I once tried to destroy a meaworm (Tenebrio molitor) colony by neglect. Didn't touch them, feed em, water them, or anything for about 18months and I still had adult beetles and larvae moving around. I feel like I almost created a perfect example of 'conservation of energy'...then I threw them in a big fire =P

If you really want a good clean-up crew for roaches, consider getting some Dermestid beetles; they'll take care of the dead and some shed skins for you. Springtails and isopods are fine for roaches too, although they obviously fare better with some kind of substrate, I really only use them for some collector species.


And on a side note as well - Lobsters kind of scare me at the rate at which they can breed, and the temperatures at which they can breed. They're kind of smelly too... I burn a lot of them if I can't feed them because no one seems to want them (the whole climbing thing, I suspect). If it weren't for the climbing and smell, they'd be the ultimate feeder insect to breed. You can't kill them with neglect either, they just keep breeding... Like you, I pretty much ignore my lobsters...and lats... thankfully down to small colonies now. I only keep the lobsters around because they're adorable.

[Sublime]

I've never had mealworms, only superworms. Guess these different species of beetle larvae differ in many ways - the superworms I had a nasty experience with. Haha yeah if only Lobsters didn't climb I would put up with the smell. Hate putting up with those smelly crickets, but I'll meet my frogs needs. Is their meat-to-shell ratio and protein:fat ratio comparable to lats or dubias?

If Lobsters are able to climb smooth glass or plastic surfaces with their projections, how do you keep them down on the ground when you need to open up the lid?

[MonsterPyxie]

I could see darkling beetles laying eggs in frass and surviving on the mixture of frass, dead bodies, and the occasional bit of salad delight offered to the roaches. I'm doubtful that they would actually harm the roaches unless you had massive quanitites of them... they aren't exactly speedy or overly voracious. I'm confident they can survive and breed with very little offered to them as well - I once tried to destroy a meaworm (Tenebrio molitor) colony by neglect. Didn't touch them, feed em, water them, or anything for about 18months and I still had adult beetles and larvae moving around. I feel like I almost created a perfect example of 'conservation of energy'...then I threw them in a big fire =P

If you really want a good clean-up crew for roaches, consider getting some Dermestid beetles; they'll take care of the dead and some shed skins for you. Springtails and isopods are fine for roaches too, although they obviously fare better with some kind of substrate, I really only use them for some collector species.


And on a side note as well - Lobsters kind of scare me at the rate at which they can breed, and the temperatures at which they can breed. They're kind of smelly too... I burn a lot of them if I can't feed them because no one seems to want them (the whole climbing thing, I suspect). If it weren't for the climbing and smell, they'd be the ultimate feeder insect to breed. You can't kill them with neglect either, they just keep breeding... Like you, I pretty much ignore my lobsters...and lats... thankfully down to small colonies now. I only keep the lobsters around because they're adorable.

good info as always my friend.

I would be interested in a "clean up" speices of bug, but I worry that they will eat the food ment for the roaches? Would the "clean up" effect be worth having to feed extra food and water you think?

The lobsters breeding rate is VERY impressive, i WISH my dubia where that good! My one female bearded dragon is gravid, and she literly will STUFF herself with these lobster roaches, then my other two males eat there fair share, and everytime it seems I look into that bin there are noticeably MORE of the little turds.

If they just wouldn't climb, they would be great. I now have to put the bearded dragons INTO the roach bin to let them feed, as when I drop a handful of lobsters into the beardies tank, half of them try and climb out, and then I stand there like a idiot blowing and flicking the lid of the tank trying to get the dang things off! Very annoying.

I've never had mealworms, only superworms. Guess these different species of beetle larvae differ in many ways - the superworms I had a nasty experience with. Haha yeah if only Lobsters didn't climb I would put up with the smell. Hate putting up with those smelly crickets, but I'll meet my frogs needs. Is their meat-to-shell ratio and protein:fat ratio comparable to lats or dubias?

If Lobsters are able to climb smooth glass or plastic surfaces with their projections, how do you keep them down on the ground when you need to open up the lid?

Mark, My lobsters don't really smell. They do have a stronger odor then dubia, but its not even CLOSE to what crickets give off. Lobsters also will squeel. If you pick them up, and poke at them enough, they will give off a little noise at you, haha, very strange. I know people say they don't make noise, but mine sure do. Took a while for me to even notice it, then I picked up a few and poked at them, and they would make the noise. They also secrete a fluid out there butt when you pick them up that smells bad, I think its a defensive thing.

Lobsters are VERY VERY fast, and can cruise right up clean glass. Thats my main gripe. nine times out of ten, my dubia FREEZE when they hit the soil, or sand when I drop them into a tank to be fed off, almost playing dead as im sure you have seen plenty, but lobsters? thouse little turds just SPRINT!

The bin I keep them in has a very thick lair of vaseline, a thin lair doesn't really stop mine, just slow's them down most the time. I havn't tried packing tape, but knowing them I doubt it would work.


when I am done feeding them off, and put there tubes and egg crate back in, I have to smack the sides of the bin to get them off and back down onto the floor, there are always a ton one the sides just below the vaseline.

[Sublime]

Wow, there nasty man. I wouldn't even want to deal with that, haha. Secreting fluid and using Vaseline, no thanks.

[JeffreH]

@Mark Oh yea, superworms (Zophabas) are voracious, definitely not like mealworms. I wouldn't trust those guys in with my roaches either... used to feed excess silkworms to them and they'd rape the little guys. Now I canthey'd rape the little guys. Now I can see why you had concern, note small silkworm in corner:


I forgot to mention though, probably wouldn't trust those mealworms or adult beetles with anything ooth laying species... and beetles *may* nibble on freshly molted, but probably not as likely as actual cannibalism.

The Dermestids, if they are legitimately carrion beetles will only feed on death. They have 0 interest in living flesh, be it invertebrates or vertebrates. I'm honestly not sure if they drink on any moisture in fruit or water crystals, I only have a few of the little buggers in a couple of colonies that wound up there by accident. I've heard of good success keeping isopods with roaches but I'm also positive they would feed on moisture and some goodies that belong to the roaches, and springtails would really only be useful if you have an unusually moist environment with substrate (like one might have for some tropical roach species).

The meat : shell on lobsters is roughly the same as lats, maybe slightly better than B. dubia. They seem to have a "thinner" exoskeleton, like cricket skin; but all adults have wings which is sort of unnessary in any kind of nutritional benefit. Also, fun fact: a number of roaches can make sounds when disturbed and can secrete defensive odors - I hate to say that I forget what its specifically called when they can make sounds... there is actually a species of roach ('Gold Medal Roach') that will readily fling poo you when ditrubed, squeal, and emit terrible defensive odor, climb glass, flutter fall, AND will protect their young! Talk about cool!! *snorts and chuckles*