what are these?

Immortal_sin

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our neighbors brought them back for us from Idaho, they called them 'mormon crickets'....but that doesn't sound familiar...
1) anyone know what they eat?
2) can I feed them to my larger Ts? (from a non sprayed area)
 

Immortal_sin

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well, it would help to attach a pic!
 
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Immortal_sin

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one more pic...they are very thick, and 2" long or so
 
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Wade

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I think that would be Anabrus simplex, at least that's the species usually associated with that name. The common name comes from an incedent where they nearly wiped out a Mormon settlment by eating all their crops.

I don't think they're real picky, try leafy greens. Romaine is often taken by many grasshoppers. Also try whatever you feed crickets, might be easier than you think. You should provide a tray of moist sand to see if they'll lay eggs.

One last tip: Keep them in a well-ventilated cage. Orthopterans seem to do very poorly if not adequately ventilated.

Some members of the family (Tettigoniidae) are partially carnivorous and could turn the tables on a T, so some caution is merited. Even if they aren't at all predatory, the powerful jaws may be used in self defense. I probably wouldn't leave them alone in the T's cage unsupervised unless pre-killed.

Wade
 

Buspirone

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There was an abundance of them this year and I recall reading that so many of them were being killed by cars on the highway that they were causing hazardous driving conditions in some places......slick road surfaces(ICK!).
 

wsimms

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The head and especially the eyes maybe look a little big for Anabrus simplex, but if it's not, it's one of the other 100 or so shieldbacked katydids. A. simplex is not carnivorous, and will eat about anything with leaves (that's the problem with them). I would probably feed them to my T if it were big enoug to handle them and if they didn't come from an area with high pesticide use, but I'm probably in the minority on that issue. DON'T let them go into the wild. This link may be helpful


Whttp://www.sdvc.uwyo.edu/grasshopper/ansi.htm

I can't get the hyperlink to work. Sorry:?
 
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krucz36

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well, if you get 'em to lay eggs, and they form a giant swarm in the house, send a couple my way.

wait a minute
 

Immortal_sin

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thanks all! They kinda creep me out, but they are also kinda cool.
The neighbor that collected them said that they were all over the road, and that hundreds of them had been run over.
I imagine they could wreak much havoc here, since they are not native. I'll make certain they can't escape.
I've got them in tupperware temporarily, I'm going to get a better ventilated home for them today.
So, I'm wondering if I handled them, would they bite?
 

Wade

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I've never had those, but I've had some of their predatory relatives, and they sure would take a chomp out of you if they got the chance! Very tricky to handle.

Wade
 

Nikos

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I remember a gyu in these forums who was looking for mormon crikets....
Try the search function and see if you can find him, he might be able to tell you more.


EDIT: I did the search and here is the thread
CLICK ME!
 
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Immortal_sin

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cool. thanks for the link, I've emailed him. I don't need all the onesI have, so maybe he wants them.
 

OldHag

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:eek: we have those HERE!! Im in Utah! and there were OCEANS OF THEM!!! pretty cool actually, if not smelly. The ones we have here are brown Anabrus simplex Haldeman.
OldHag
 
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Dave_H

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Jun 14, 2003
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Still looking for Mormon Crickets

I'm still in need of some mormon crickets, the more the better. If anyone out further west would be so kind to help me I would greatly appreciate it. Brown or black ones, it really doesn't matter. I have mealworms of a pretty Colorado species of darkling available for trade as well as Blaberus craniifer death head roaches if you are interested in that. Thanks.
 
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