# Random bugs in with my crickets...



## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

Hey all, I have posted something like this a while back, can't remember in what forum though.
I got some crickets this morning and in with them is a small beetle, and several small caterpillar type things.
Has anyone else had this? what will the caterpillar turn into?


----------



## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

They arn't actually caterpillars, they are larvae and will turn into the beetles, what the beetles are I ain't got a clue :blush:


----------



## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Oh and also leave them in there! They will clean up any dead crickets and keep it smelling better.


----------



## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

Dermestid Beetle & Larva.


----------



## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

LoveForLizards said:


> Oh and also leave them in there! They will clean up any dead crickets and keep it smelling better.


They'll also start "cleaning up" your live crickets if they run out of food... they're not intentionally put in there, they just infest colonies of bugs.

The beetles bite.

The larvae are used by museums to clean skeletons - and I don't just mean little ones, I mean BIG ones.

Squash them.


----------



## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Ssthisto said:


> They'll also start "cleaning up" your live crickets if they run out of food... they're not intentionally put in there, they just infest colonies of bugs.


Yes, IF they run out of food. They eat frass aswell so its very unlikely.


----------



## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

About Dermestid beetles <-- check that out.. EEK










there you go


----------



## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

That's the buggers!! There's also a couple of spiders in there aswell!
There's also an adult beetle, is that likely to eat the live crickets?

Edit: Just had a look at the pic of the adult beetle and it doesn't look like the one that's in there, the one in there is black!


----------

