Data sheet migratory locusts
Latin name:
Locusta migratoria
Origin:
worldwide distribution
Size:
up to 6 cm
age expectation:
several months
Breed:
possible
Lining:
Suitable for amphibians, reptiles, birds, rodents
Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium, Locusta migratoria (22299588392), CC BY-SA 2.0
General information
Among the migratory locusts different grasshopper speciesthe live both singly and in larger swarms and leave their previous habitat together. The massive swarms can even devastate entire landscapes. Many African countries are repeatedly exposed to locust plagues.
A single swarm of migratory locusts can over 1 billion insects hold, which corresponds to a weight of around 1,500 tons.
The Locusts eat plant-based food every day according to their body weight and therefore such plagues of locusts are an economic fiasco for the countries.
migratory locusts are spread worldwide, except in Antarctica. occurred in Central Europe plagues of locusts for many centuries on. They are now rather rare on the European continent. Also in Africa, Southern Europe, India, Central Asia and Kazakhstan live migratory locusts, which also include desert locusts.
also in eastern australia where the migratory locusts live and cause great economic damage there.
The animals will be around 6 centimeters tall and weigh around 2 grams. Their wings overhang the abdomen and they are beige with dark brown patterns. Their strong, long hind legs are characteristic.
attitude
When keeping migratory locusts, choose a container that is taller than it is wider. A Glass terrarium works well because they are easier to clean. The Minimum dimensions should be 40 × 40 × 60 centimeters begin.
First one easily removable plywood insert put in. There should be no cracks on their sides where crumbs or droppings can fall.
migratory locusts eat a lot and defecate accordingly, so your container should be easy to clean. Dry droppings are difficult to remove, so it’s worth it Build or purchase a terrarium with a bottom drawer and trellisthrough which the excreta fall through.
The Locusts need branchesfor climbing and as an alternative food to wet food.
It is some experience required, because they can also eat their container. Power cords from heating mats and lights should securely installed become, otherwise they will also nibble on these. The cables are in good hands when fastened to the rear wall and to the bottom drawer. Wire gauze secures the cords of lamps.
migratory locusts like warmth and lightso the temperature should be during the day at least 30 °C amount and at night 20°C or higher.
A bit of moisture need them too. This can be ensured with a water spray every few days.
breed
Breeding migratory locusts is not that easy. A certain amount of effort is required here in terms of technology, logistics, hygiene and feeding.
are migratory locusts sensitive insects. Breeding is not always successful and they react extremely sensitively to unsuitable nutrition.
If you want to breed migratory locusts, bets around 20 adult specimens in his terrarium, in which a Containers with a mixture of earth and sand is provided. This mixture is always kept slightly moist.
The Female Locusts burrow their abdomens into the sand-soil mixture to lay their eggs. The container can remain in the terrarium for 1 week and should then be renewed.
The egg-laying container is now covered with gauze and in a warm spot in the tank placed. light is not necessary, so it can also be a less illuminated spot. A re-wetting is usually not necessary, because the Locust eggs buried deep and thus remain moist enough even when the surface has dried out.
After 2 weeks the container migrates to a secure hatchery terrarium in which after 3 weeks the young migratory locusts hatch.
The gauze is removed in advance and food is not immediately necessary. The Young locusts are kept in the same way as the adult animals and are given the same feed.
After they are fully grown at about 5 weeks and after another week they are sexually mature. These animals can be used for offspring or you can always buy new ones in pet shops.
special feature
The adult migratory locusts are airworthy and can last almost 17 hours fly and cover hundreds of kilometers depending on the wind force. They fly at 16 kilometers per hour.
migratory locusts often cause enormous agricultural losses during their swarm formation. The huge swarms can destroy entire crops in no time.
fodder and feeding
lining
migratory locusts feed only on plant food. This includes leaves and grasses, but also vegetables and fruit. They eat about every day 40 grams of plant foodbut they only use a fraction of it.
If you want to store these grasshoppers as food insects, ideally also feed them wheat bran or oatmeal. This keeps them healthy and terrarium animals receive invigorating, healthy food.
feeding
are migratory locusts very popular feed animals for various reptiles. This grasshopper species is now also being bred commercially. Reptiles get a species-appropriate feed, since they capture the living animals. But rodents, amphibians or birds also eat these insects.