Jerusalem crickets

Joe

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I saw these on one price list, but they were ridiculously expensive. Does anyone know of any suppliers, and do they have cannibalistic tendencies or can they be housed together?
 

Steven

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i thought those were to be common found in the States,....
don't know which states:8o

couldn't you go on a collecting-hunt,.... and bring some back for me too :D
 

Joe

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I think they live in warmer areas of the country. A lot of people forget how big the US is. Besides, even if they do live in this area, they're buried under a few feet of snow right now. =D
 

Navaros

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I forget exactly where they are found, but a friend of mine used to keep them, may be able to get some in the spring/summer from him. They are amazing bugs. He used to feed them everything. He has even fed them black widows.
 

Joe

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Originally posted by Navaros
He has even fed them black widows.
Whoa, kickass!

I must be a morbid person or something. Herbivores practically put me to sleep. I like bugs that eat other bugs. =D
 

Navaros

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Hehe, yeah it would be cool to see. He said they would chew down their webs and then tear them apart. Watch your hands. ;P If I can get some, I will let you know.
 

DarkRAM

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The old Potato Bug. During the warmer seasons here in the central valley of Cal. you can find them around outside. Normally digging around your garden. I was always under the impression that they fed on plant matter...
 

Longbord1

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they are found out west under dirt rocks and leaf litter they are also called "los ninos de la tierra" becuase they looke like little kids. they are omnivorious and i think ive heard that they are canabalistic so don't house themn together. i also think they come out of their burrows at night.

mike
 

biznacho

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My family absolutely hates them with a passion. They look so weird. All slimey looking. I once brought on into the house on a the backing plate of my calulator and my mom freaked out! Another time we threw a margerine tub over one in the driveway and it kept walking and pushing the margerine tub along!
We definitley have them out here in CA. I've seen them all over, from the front driveway, to out past Redlands. Never thought about keeping them. I usually see them out and about when the humidity is high, probably a good way to keep them if you do find some for cheap.

biznacho
 

Longbord1

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i hear they have a horrible bite no venom but very powerful
 

Darkant

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damn, and again i really HATE to live in an insect boring country as HOLLAND :mad:
 

OldHag

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Jerusalem crickets WILL eat eachother..and yes they will eat blackwidows too (we tried it)
We have them here in Utah along with BILLIONS Of these awesome critters....these eat plantstuff..and eachother if the plants run out.
 

biznacho

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That is a Mormon Cricket. Still cool. Those are the ones that were overrunning SLC and the gull swept in and ate them all and saved the Mormons from crop failure and from no food in Winter. Same legend where sea gulls got their nickname of "Mormon Eagles." Same bugs that over ran Utah in the summer.
I think those would be higher prices 'cus they don't show up in large numbers all the time. Flip rocks in the CA mountains for any length of time and you should run across a few Potato Bugs/Jerusalem Crickets/"Children of the Earth" Either way they are both really interesting bugs.

biznacho
 

Navaros

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Yeah. those are just as cool Michelle, but if it was a jerusalem cricket it would probably be eating your hand.:) Ever been bitten by one of those?
 

Wade

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I was bitten by one once while road collecting in Arizona. No real damage, but yeeouch! Massive jaws. They're not really carnivores, but omnivores. They like a little bit of everything!

Many Orthoptera are this way. I've seen groups of horse lubbers (annother SW species) feeding on roadkill. An then there's the gigantic shield-backed katydid (or cricket), covered with spines and really massive jaws, which are very difficult to manuver into a collecting container without getting nailed.

Wade
 

Navaros

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Wade is right, they are omnivores. I was wondering why people sold live horse lubbers, I guess it IS possible to keep them. I figured it wasn't now I must get some. ;P Those katydids are really cool.
 

OldHag

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We do have Jerusalem crickets in Utah....and like biznacho said, they aren't as prolific as the mormon cricket. We have caught a few over the years and they be ornery critters indeed!! Theyre great burrowers too!
Michelle
 

Navaros

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Cool, I need to keep a couple of them. They seem like they'd be fun.
 
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