4 replies to this topic

[Max_Connor]

Hello!

I have done some research on keeping earwigs as feeders, and was wandering if anyone who has bred them successfully could help with these nuances:

 

1) Are male earwigs found just as easily as females? I've seen several female earwigs in my area, but no males. Are they hiding in some special places? 

 

2) If you put several females with one male into one setup, the females lay eggs and start tending to them, do you catch and release the male? The females store the sperm for a long time, so the male is probably not needed anymore?

 

3) Can you feed your ants with large earwig eggs and babies fresh, without boiling or freezing them? Just to make sure they don't have infections or parasites? Or should you sterilize them in some way first?

 

Thanks for reading and answering

[Serafine]

Um, get anything else instead.

 

It's difficult to keep multiple earwigs in the same small setup because they don't just eat each other, they will actively kill each other.

They are pretty skilled predators with a hard exoskeleton and will give your ants a lot of problems. Worst case one gets inside the nest and takes the queen off the census. They're fully capable of one-shotting an ant with their pincers if they hit right.

Also they are partially carnivorous which makes keeping them as feeders kinda pointless.

 

There are so many feeders that are much easier to keep like fruitflies, mealworms, roaches, isopods or waxworms.

Edited by Serafine, August 6 2022 - 3:08 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Well said. Not to mention, it’s easy to find a near infinite supply in safe habitats. At least that’s the case in my area. My ants love to eat pre-killed earwigs.

[Max_Connor]

Um, get anything else instead.

 

It's difficult to keep multiple earwigs in the same small setup because they don't just eat each other, they will actively kill each other.

They are pretty skilled predators with a hard exoskeleton and will give your ants a lot of problems. Worst case one gets inside the nest and takes the queen off the census. They're fully capable of one-shotting an ant with their pincers if they hit right.

Also they are partially carnivorous which makes keeping them as feeders kinda pointless.

 

There are so many feeders that are much easier to keep like fruitflies, mealworms, roaches, isopods or waxworms.

 

 

Ok, that's weird.

Because there are some people who keep several earwigs in setups and they don't kill each other, and keeping seems easy:

 

https://insectandent...l-guide-to-keep

 

Also, of course I wouldn't give my ants live earwigs, I would smash them first.

Thanks for help

[Fresh Hex]

 

Um, get anything else instead.

 

It's difficult to keep multiple earwigs in the same small setup because they don't just eat each other, they will actively kill each other.

They are pretty skilled predators with a hard exoskeleton and will give your ants a lot of problems. Worst case one gets inside the nest and takes the queen off the census. They're fully capable of one-shotting an ant with their pincers if they hit right.

Also they are partially carnivorous which makes keeping them as feeders kinda pointless.

 

There are so many feeders that are much easier to keep like fruitflies, mealworms, roaches, isopods or waxworms.

 

 

Ok, that's weird.

Because there are some people who keep several earwigs in setups and they don't kill each other, and keeping seems easy:

 

https://insectandent...l-guide-to-keep

 

Also, of course I wouldn't give my ants live earwigs, I would smash them first.

Thanks for help

 

I've kept a colony of Euborellia arcanum before. They're fairly easy to keep and breed and aren't very cannibalistic so long as they're fed regularly. Mine would eat prekilled roaches, crushed dog food, and occasional bits of fruit. I can't speak on how useful they'd be raised as feeders, but the colony did grow quickly.