Creepy-Crawlies

[wonderwanders]

Weta.

Linked for size

My cats bring in these guys all the time at night, me and my family have to pick them up and take them outside and put them in a safe place in the garden, they're ugly, and I used to be scared of them till my dad stuck one in front of me and i got a good look at it, they're kinda cute, their long antenna and all. I just don't like their big jaws and the spikes on their legs that they scratch you with. I'm just glad they can't jump.

That looks a lot like what I've seen out in Nevada...

they're called Jerusalem Crickets, or "Child of the Earth". I

just looked them up and yep, they are related to the weta.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_cricket

 

The first one I ever encountered was on my kitchen floor...

I love insects, but this thing was so big, and so strange, I'll admit it freaked me out

at first - it was hard to believe it was real!

[Odio]

Ewwwwwww! Those things make me sob. They look like the mole crickets we have in my backyard in virginia except way bigger.

[RheaZen]

o_O Scarier than cave crickets.

 

I caught a wheel bug and named him Calvin. He's been hanging out in a box for a bit. He's eaten a beetle and a caterpillar so far; I've also managed to get another caterpillar and two other beetles for him. It's quite something to see him suck out the juices...

 

Oh, and a katydid I caught for him ended up having parasitic worms, so I took it and the worms away. They're in a vial now. And I ended up boiling the tweezers I used to move them. *Shivers* They came out of the anus.

 

I let Calvin go. Also,

 

http://actinglikeanimals.files.wordpress.c...9072df9035d.jpg

http://actinglikeanimals.files.wordpress.c...61765b4b74f.jpg

Edited September 19, 2010 by RheaZen

[WonderBubbles]

I love bugs. They're so coool. <3

 

Okay, I'm here about caterpillars. My friend tells me that they're not cute. Psh, yeah right. I need eight more people that think they're cute. =D

 

I've got two (other than me), which are Neko and fazzle.

 

So, who thinks caterpillars are adorable?! =D

[RheaZen]

They're not adorable when you find them in your peach.

 

(This happened yesterday, lulz)

[AngelKitty]

Caterpillars aren't adorable when they sting, either.

 

Sometimes a severe reaction can occur from a puss caterpillar sting. Symptoms might include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, respiratory distress and in extreme cases seizure and abdominal pain. Their stings have a grid-like pattern that can last for several weeks.

 

o_o

 

I used to play with caterpillars all the time. Eastern tent caterpillars. I think it freaked my family out, though they preferred me playing with them to me digging up earthworms.

[RheaZen]

The earthworms where I live secrete really foul-smelling mucus when disturbed >.>

 

I prefer skooshy, smooth caterpillars to fuzzy ones. No worrying about irritating hairs.

 

I used to have a cutworm named Bobo but then he disappeared...

[grimace]

Ewwwwwww! Those things make me sob. They look like the mole crickets we have in my backyard in virginia except way bigger.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BbVResGZnDo/S8d7.../giant-weta.jpg

[Wookieinmashoo]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BbVResGZnDo/S8d7.../giant-weta.jpg

Big Weta is quite big ._.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Wookieinmashoo

[RheaZen]

Buckeye caterpillar named Timmy who is currently undergoing pupation. Pics soon (otherwise some peeps on IRC will kill meh D: ).

 

Eeeeeeee caterpillars are adorbs!

[Wookieinmashoo]

Buckeye caterpillar named Timmy who is currently undergoing pupation. Pics soon (otherwise some peeps on IRC will kill meh D: ).

 

Eeeeeeee caterpillars are adorbs!

Looked like you had created a rabid bug loving mob in there...and why the name Timmy?

[RheaZen]

Looked like you had created a rabid bug loving mob in there...and why the name Timmy?

I don't know. I just have these names for my bugs. Bobo the cutworm, Calvin the Wheel Bug, now it's Timmy the Buckeye...

[RheaZen]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/glance/8100244/200-new-species-found-in-png

 

2nd photo: KATYDID. IT'S A KATYDID. At least I'm pretty sure it is. Why can't the people on the team ID it?

 

Also, some cute frogs and such as well as a crazy-ass grasshopper.

[Wookieinmashoo]

I recently moved all my roaches into a nice 10 gallon aquarium and they seem to be a little happier as far as roach happiness goes. I found some sticks for them to climb on and put them in there, yet they seem to like eating them more ._.

I also cut a small section of egg carton out and spread some leftover wet cat food on it, just out of curiosity. A few hours later and one of the males is eating the cat food jell. And possibly the egg carton. I might have to find something better to put the catfood in.

 

Do these guys eat oatmeal?

 

 

[RheaZen]

I don't see why they wouldn't.

 

That reminds me, I need to put out a silverfish trap for bio class.

[grimace]

I recently moved all my roaches into a nice 10 gallon aquarium and they seem to be a little happier as far as roach happiness goes. I found some sticks for them to climb on and put them in there, yet they seem to like eating them more ._.

I also cut a small section of egg carton out and spread some leftover wet cat food on it, just out of curiosity. A few hours later and one of the males is eating the cat food jell. And possibly the egg carton. I might have to find something better to put the catfood in.

 

Do these guys eat oatmeal?

Yeah, they like oatmeal. Mine eat a handfull every night as part of the diet. :3

[RheaZen]

Do you try to feed them a "balanced diet", or just any old stuff?

[grimace]

Do you try to feed them a "balanced diet", or just any old stuff?

I go for balanced. They always have dog food, oatmeal, and some sort of fruit or veggies in there.

[sureq]

I love this thread.

 

Except the Cordyceps. I used to be afraid of mushrooms, I still refuse to eat them, and the Cordyceps can just stay away from me thanks.

 

*shudders*

 

*hates on fungus*

 

Go everything else though!!!

 

 

Besides earwigs. Just no.

 

 

[Wookieinmashoo]

Yeah, they like oatmeal. Mine eat a handfull every night as part of the diet. :3

Yay for oatmeal...

 

@Rhea: I bought my one roach and I was told they would be fine on carrots alone, but after I read up on them I started giving them cat food for protein. I noticed my adult roaches are smaller that my "original" roach, so I figured they could use some better food choices.

I'm going to repeat again, I'm a terrible pet owner. I come home to find one of my smaller roaches dead. I thought it was kinda sitting odd and now I know why. I'm suspecting the water dish was too high and it couldn't get to the water without falling in. I set up some caps filled with water in the tank earlier today and I'm going to pour a a couple drops on the living ones to make sure they're hydrated. I'm a little disappointed in myself, but I guess it happens.

 

Should I remove the dead roach though, or just leave it? I know they eat their sheddings so I figured I might as well leave their fallen brethren to eat.

[RheaZen]

I'm no expert but I would remove the dead one, just in case it died of disease or parasites or some other nasty and not just dehydration. Sorry to hear about it, though :<

[Wookieinmashoo]

I'm no expert but I would remove the dead one, just in case it died of disease or parasites or some other nasty and not just dehydration. Sorry to hear about it, though :<

I went ahead and removed it. After looking at it, I found it was one of the really small ones that was being nibbled on by the other roaches due to lack of space for them to move around in. It was missing a leg and had a little bit bitten out of its side. Before I flushed it, I noticed it's body was unusually soft, so I'm assuming the injury made it difficult for it to get to the water or caused some sickness, or both.

I did give a little "rain" for the other roaches, which didn't seem to be appreciated by some, but they're all actively moving around now.

[grimace]

I noticed it's body was unusually soft, so I'm assuming the injury made it difficult for it to get to the water or caused some sickness, or both.

Sounds like it was either molting and just looked dead, or got half eaten in the process. A roaches shell gets soft as it comes up on the time to molt.

[Wookieinmashoo]

Sounds like it was either molting and just looked dead, or got half eaten in the process. A roaches shell gets soft as it comes up on the time to molt.

Problem was, it had been sitting in the same position for a day and a half and when I got home from work it was on its back. I thought the position it was sitting in for so long was also a bit odd--halfway sitting on a stick with it's head to the bottom of the tank.

The little roach also survived quite a while with the missing leg and side eaten off, it just seems the move didn't agree with it.

There was also no sign of a struggle at all when I dumped it in the toilet to be flushed.

[grimace]

Problem was, it had been sitting in the same position for a day and a half and when I got home from work it was on its back. I thought the position it was sitting in for so long was also a bit odd--halfway sitting on a stick with it's head to the bottom of the tank.

The little roach also survived quite a while with the missing leg and side eaten off, it just seems the move didn't agree with it.

There was also no sign of a struggle at all when I dumped it in the toilet to be flushed.

Oh, yeah. They don't take anywhere near that long to molt.