# how do commercial locust breeders do it ?



## jhzgto (Apr 24, 2012)

My inquisitive mind has got the better of me again & I just can't see how the commercial locust breeders harvest their livefood efficiently.

Had a go at breeding locusts myself & picking out the ones i want to feed off was always a comedy show.

mine were housed in a rub, inside a cabinet outside, so during the winter months it was easier, just turn the heat off for an hour or so & they all became dozy :2thumb:

I just can't imaging an easy way of doing it on any scale !

Youtube doesn't even offer any entertainment on this one :whistling2:


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

I've always thought this too. They must do it on a massive scale so would be a nightmare having to sort them all, doesn't make any sense as the hours put in must eradicate any profit. Clearly this isn't the case as it wouldn't be done if so but I don't know how either.


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## jhzgto (Apr 24, 2012)

Well, you're a lot of help aren't you Tom :lol2:

Not sure why I even care, but i do & it's bugging me. There must be a filtering system to separate different sizes & some way of harvesting.

just can't imagine people going into a room full of locusts with their livefood tub, collecting them 1 by 1 :whistling2::whistling2:


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Haha, just as useless as you sir! I feel you must be correct, as I said it would make little business sense otherwise. I wish someone with the knowledge could answer this, I've had a good google but can't find anything either, don't really know what to type in though!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Ok, so I've just contacted Monkfield, they've got the largest breeding programme as far as I know so if anyone's qualified to answer such a question it's them! I'm aware they may not wish to for obvious reasons but it can't hurt to try. Lets just hope they reply.


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

i've been to a couple of the big breeding locations over here. one uses 2ft square plastic tubs with a mesh top with a basking lamp directly over the tank. egg crate boxes inside and bran on the floor. Each room had 2-300 boxes in so the room is hot from just the lamps. when you want to harvest, pull the egg crate out and scoop up the locust into a funnel. same as crickets. when packing it's done on cups sizes into a tub. they just pile crap loads of bugs and scoop out what they need. ( smelt like crap as well)


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

Its very simple. They harvest eggs everyday and start new rearing groups everyday. That way the hoppers in each cage are all the same age.


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

I was breeding these but they take up so much room and eat sooooo much.
I kept adults in 4ft vivs with sand boxes and changed the tubs every 2 days Then I put them in tubs to grow to the size needed.
I was producing loads but 30 110L tubs and 8 vivs was too much room and heat. I did not have the room to keep doing it because of all the other bugs I breed.


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Sounds simple when you know how.. Lol. 

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