Had a surprise when I: what they were... I saw some tiny things moving by my gecko vivarium. They were so tiny I had to get a magnifying glass to see what they were thinking they were...

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

what they were... I saw some tiny things moving by my gecko vivarium. They were so tiny I had to get a magnifying glass to see what they were thinking they were tiny flies. I feed the geckos crickets as a treat with their other food and this is what I saw.... Tiny crickets that had got out of the vivarium. I got out my macro lens to get some pictures. In the tank where I keep the crickets I saw one laying eggs, some were on the surface and others were pushed into the sponge... The carton the crickets are in is 7"x 4"

Tiny crickets
Tiny crickets...

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eggs on sponge
eggs on sponge...

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container with tiny crickets
container with tiny crickets...

(Download)

alby Loc: very eastern pa.

don't let them loose in the house..... look like little camel crickets... have seen them overrun a house... not easy to get rid of.

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

How neat..good ones!

angela k Loc: Long Island

WOW!!! What a surprise, Val and glad they are contained!!! Great shots of those tiny babies!! I remember when an egg sack of preying mantis hatched in a box I was keeping them in... so tiny and so cute... I videoed them running all over!!

Didn't you tell me one of your lizards might lay eggs??

Dixiegirl Loc: Alabama gulf coast

How neat, Val, and super shots as well! I've never seen crickets like these before.

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

alby wrote:

don't let them loose in the house..... look like little camel crickets... have seen them overrun a house... not easy to get rid of.

Thanks alby, on the packet it said they were black crickets. As I have a bio set up there will be quite a few in there in the substrate and as they are so tiny I wont be able to stop they getting out...

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

rlaugh wrote:

How neat..good ones!

Thank you Bob, I was pleased to get the shots as they are so small..

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

angela k wrote:

WOW!!! What a surprise, Val and glad they are contained!!! Great shots of those tiny babies!! I remember when an egg sack of preying mantis hatched in a box I was keeping them in... so tiny and so cute... I videoed them running all over!!

Didn't you tell me one of your lizards might lay eggs??

Thank you Angela, I am glad they are contained after what alby wrote. the thing is they are so tiny they just get out between the gap round the viv door. I do not know how many have got out as I have only caught four. At least there are no eggs on the lizard viv as the ones I put in there were not mature. I am hoping the lizard will lay more eggs. Three of the last lot were viable but the crickets ate part of them and I could see the tiny embryo. I now put the crickets in a container in the viv so they can't eat any more and check every day for eggs.
The lizards can still get to them to eat them and at least I know how many have been eaten...

Have a good day Angela..

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

Dixiegirl wrote:

How neat, Val, and super shots as well! I've never seen crickets like these before.

Thank you Donna, I also have never seen them this size before and thought they were fruit flies at first.. As I do not know how many have got out I will just have to wait and see if I see them running about, they are silent crickets so I would not be able to hear is there were any about...

CLF Loc: Raleigh, NC

nanaval wrote:

what they were... I saw some tiny things moving by... (show quote)

Val, these have got to be the smallest photo of crickets I have ever seen posted. Excellent set.

Greg

Treepusher Loc: Kingston, Massachusetts

Great job spotting these! Tiny little things, and have to wonder if your geckos would find their flavor more delicate than those crunchy old adults...

angela k Loc: Long Island

nanaval wrote:

Thank you Angela, I am glad they are contained aft... (show quote)

Val, I never heard of camel crickets until my son had them in his basement.... UGH!!! they are so ugly and huge!!!
Can you put a piece of window screen inside, so they can''t squeeze through?? I can't believe they ate part of the eggs.... :-( I guess they'll eat anything!

Have a good day, Val... and hope you keep your vacuum handy if you see any of these little buggers in your house!! lol..

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

CLF wrote:

Val, these have got to be the smallest photo of crickets I have ever seen posted. Excellent set.

Greg

Thank you very much Greg and thank you for the thumbups... I had to get a magnifying glass to see what they were. I have caught 6 of them. They would be fine if the anole eggs had hatched but the bigger crickets ate part of the eggs...

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

Treepusher wrote:

Great job spotting these! Tiny little things, and have to wonder if your geckos would find their flavor more delicate than those crunchy old adults...

Thank you Randy, I expect the geckos would think they were too small to bother with

not much to fill their stomachs..

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

angela k wrote:

Val, I never heard of camel crickets until my son had them in his basement.... UGH!!! they are so ugly and huge!!!
Can you put a piece of window screen inside, so they can''t squeeze through?? I can't believe they ate part of the eggs.... :-( I guess they'll eat anything!

Have a good day, Val... and hope you keep your vacuum handy if you see any of these little buggers in your house!! lol..

Hi Angela, if I put a screen up they would get out of the mesh at the top and that is needed for ventilation.. At the moment they are too small to spot on the floor but when I put a drop of water in for them one died as I expect it was too small to get out of it. Because I use bio system with real plants planted I think if I spray it very well it may drown them while they are tiny. At least they are not in with the anoles as they do not eat the mature ones... I could see the little embryos which was left in the shells. I am going to take my geckos to my sisters as she has a male and hopefully they will mate.. Will let you know.