Hissstory: We purchase our superworms from an insect “farm” that caters to zoos and other animal related organizations.
RA Diet: Our superworms dine on oatmeal, whole wheat bread, greens and other veggies.
Natural Diet: Superworms will eat just about anything.
Range:Zophobas beetles are found in Tropical Central & South America. (Beetles are found in every continent except Antarctica)
Habitat: They love to hide in rotting logs and leaves.
Size: Superworms can grow to 2 inches long and can be as thick as a pencil.
Lifespan: From egg to beetle, superworms have a total lifespan of about 1 year.
Reproduction: Female darkling beetles lay eggs, which hatch out into tiny, baby superworms. The superworms will molt many times as they grow. After a few months of growing, they morph into a pupae form, (what I like to call the “alien stage”) and emerge as a black beetle called the darkling beetle. Superworms will only morph into a pupae form if they are “stressed” such as lacking food and water. The larvae will turn into a pupae when food and water are scarce; a perfect time because pupae do not need to eat or drink. Then, the superworms emerge as beetles at a time when food and water are plentiful.
Conservation: As decomposers, superworms are extremely beneficial recyclers of organic material. They are also a tasty treat for many animals and, even some humans!
Cool Facts: In many countries, superworms and mealworms are cooked and eaten by humans. They are healthy and a valuable source of protein. Taste a little like almonds. (No really, they are delicious.)
I had heard stories of the black flies that live in the north, but I never believed that they could be that bad. I was wrong. I am trying unsuccessfully not to scratch as I write this.
Last week I went with my Dad and Kay to Mont Tremblant, a mountain resort area in Quebec, Canada. It was a fantastic place, full of gorgeous rivers, lakes, and mountains. We went fishing for trout, hiked on great trails, and ate LOTS of fantastic French food.
The area is full of lakes carved by glaciers that retreated long ago. The lakes are full of frogs and fish. I saw green frogs and heard their calls, along with the calls of gray tree frogs, bull frogs, and spring peepers. I did not see any reptiles, but I was lucky to catch a speckled trout on our fishing expedition. During our time on the boat, there were no insects to be seen (or felt).
Green Frog in Quebec, Canada
Speckled trout - Quebec
I was on the dock of a very nice restaraunt, petting a cat, when I had my first real taste of what black flies are capable of. They were swarming all around my face and head. I brushed them away and figured they were kind of like gnats – annoying, but basically harmless.
I went back inside the restaraunt to place my order for dinner (grilled venison, yum!), and noticed I was bleeding around my chest and neck. The waitress who spoke mostly French, noticed, and began to explain what black flies can do to a person. She said they liked to crawl under your clothes and hair where they bite throught your skin ans suck blood. Their bites will cause bleeding, then later, the bites swell and become very itchy and in some people, very painful.
I excused myself from the dinner table, went to the restroom and shook all my clothes out. I then noticed that I was bleeding from many, many bites on my face, neck, and back. It was a bit gross. After the bleeding stopped, I went back to the table and enjoyed a dinner that was magnifique.
A day later, all of the bites had turned into large red welts that itched like mad! I knew I had to avoid getting any more black fly bites. I now had respect for them. These were no gnats!
It turns out, black flies breed in clean, fast running creeks and rivers. The larvae cannot tolerate pollution or still water. The larvae and adult flies are a major source of food for trouts, birds, and many other insects and animals. The adults typically come out around mid-May and stick around until the end of July, but the actual “black fly season” depends on location and weather conditions.
Black flies are a major problem for livestock. Because black flies like to crawl inside nasal passages, cattle an other livestock are sometimes smothered by the swarming flies. The flies can also spread disease and cause such stress to animals, that they die.
I had a great time in Canada – and I would love to go back. But this time, I’ll remember to bring the bug spray!
Tuesday, December 09th, 2008 | Author: reptilesalive
“AHHHHHHHHH! Gross, or EEEEEEK,” are probably the most common responses to our guest today. Meet the roach. Labeled as one of the most undesirable animals to be found in the kitchen, this insect sure has one bad rap. Pest control companies have convinced everyone that roaches can make you sick. While, I would not be thrilled to have an infestation in my kitchen, this is simply not true. “Although cockroaches carry disease organisms, they are not known to transmit it to humans.” Clay Kirby of the University of Main.pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/roach.htm
Heather our Keeper and George the Roach
I have even had a few keepers refuse to even touch the creepy crawlies. Of course, the little guys with their cute little antennas eventually would wriggle into their hearts. (Figuratively! Sheesh, you people are gross.)
There are over 4,000 species of roaches scientifically discovered. There are probably just as many left undiscovered on the planet. Less than one percent of all these species are known to dwell in human domiciles, the rest want nothing to do with us. http://blattodea-culture-group.org/content/cockroaches-amazing-diversity
Roaches are important decomposers in the ecosystem. They are able to eat tougher things than worms and many other decomposers, turning dead plants into rich, dark soil. Without the roaches, plants would have a tough time getting the nutrients they need from the soil.
Our own Malagasy Hissing Roaches are one of the most fun group of animals to watch. They are more like little goats than bugs. The males would constantly play king of the cardboard mountain, pushing rivals back with the shiny black “horns” on their exoskeleton. Each night, a new battle would begin. Hordes of roaches would crawl out from their hiding places in a fury of hissing and head-butting in attempt to dethrone the king. One tenacious little bugger would perpetually guard the food dish. Only the tiny fingernail sized nymph could sneak under his radar unnoticed for a bite to eat. We ended up scattering their veggies all over the cage after that.
One night working late I heard a strange scuffling noise coming from the roach enclosure. Looking in I noticed a large male wriggle his body around in a sort of dance. For a minute I thought he had watched too many episodes of Seinfeld with Elaine dancing at a party. Then I noticed a few females watching him with interest a few inches away. Either he was making a huge fool of himself, or these guys get on the dance floor to woo a cute girl.
After the wooing, these roaches make wonderful mothers. Hissing roaches lay a perfect stack of long oval, bright yellow eggs like a line of jewel cases for cds sitting all in a row. She then sucks the eggs back into her abdomen for safe keeping. Some roaches even care for their soft little nymphs until they molt a few times and their shells harden. Good girl!
Find out more about the shy bug that cannot bite, hisses like a snake for defense, and tastes delicious! (Don’t take my word for it, ask the lemurs.)
Imagine a blond, brunette, and a red-head visit a log cabin in the middle of nowhere. A horror story, adventure, or comedy?
A friend at a local zoo invited us down to his place in the woods for a few days of reptiles and fun on thousands of acres of protected forest.
So, we packed the car with tons of goodies and headed down early in the morning. Our directions were to: “drive down a road until you think no one could possibly live there, then drive a few more miles.”
We turned on a dirt road with his address on the mailbox, and quickly ended up on a dirt road with the word “SNAKES” spray painted on a board lying on the side of the road. I guess we got the right place. Boy, did we! A few minutes up the road we encountered another sign stating the land is protected preserve. Not far from that were some tin on the side of the road for reptiles to hide under.
No reptile fan would ever in their right mind pass up the opportunity to look under tin. We got out of the car fire drill style and ran to the tin. Notin’ Honey. Our real surprise was waiting for us at the end of the road. What a beaut!
Notice this gorgeous log cabin is run by solar panels? That’s right kids, this baby is completely off the grid! It comes with all the amenities;
All hard wood
Huge fireplace
fridge
hot water
giant woodburning stove
comfy beds
dogs
tasteful interior decorations
Did I mention it was off the grid?
We did not hang around the house for long, it was time to look for reptiles! We walked outside laughing and talking, but that did not last for long. Serious herping was happening. The first thing you notice about being in the middle of nowhere is the absolute silence pierced only by the song of a bird, an insect, or a rustle in the grass next to the solar panel. Was that a flash of green I just saw? What the … ? Aren’t those guys supposed to occur in Florida?
I was dazzled, we were in the most northern range of the Carolina Anole! He was gorgeous. We hadn’t even left the front yard. I drooled in anticipation.
Things were gettting serious. Serious relaxation that is.
I have a very exciting job with rooms full of children in sugar induced frenzies and wild life. I love my job. I love the noise, the screaming children, zombied parents and teachers with glazed eyes and stumbling walk, the tortoise with the occasional gas…
my brain needed a bit less stimulus to munch on for a while.
Mark, our gracious host, and I wandered with snake hooks. There were timber rattlesnakes and copperheads around. Mark even mentioned how two rattlesnakes like to sit in the bushes near the bird feeder waiting for rabbits and chipmunks to come in for breakfast. We hoped there would be some use for the hooks today. (We use them to gently scooped up and guide venomous snakes away from us if we find one along the path.)
I was enjoying stories of otters and hawks along our flower scented walk when we found our first group of tin. All of us excitedly began to peak under them. We took turns lifting up a piece while the rest of us squinted in anticipation. Nothing in the first group. We walked up a small hill and soon found a prize.
A gorgeous representative of its species!
The snake is pretty too.
That is Jennifer holding an eastern kingsnake with our host, Mark looking on. This kingsnake is something I would call an intergrade. That is; a mix two subspecies. The snake has characteristics of both the Florida kingsnake and the eastern kingsnake. See the chains of yellow up his side?
Mark tells us that many of animals found in this part of North Carolina are a mix of the northern and southern versions of the species. They are the best of both worlds. How cool!
If you look closely, you may be able to see that this kingsnake is missing its entire tail! It is likely that a hawk or some other animal got a hold of it and bit it off. The snake got away, but not without missing a few parts. Poor guy!
Look at the left side of the picture. That is his tail not his head!
In a little wetland area, we met a cute little critter of the slimy variety. Isn’t he a cutie
Flowers were blooming everywhere. We walked over footbridges, across streams, meadows, and through grass. After crossing the same stream several times, we all stopped. “What smells like strawberry banana smoothie?” A native plant with tiny flowers all over it? Boy, do we have some fascinating plants in the States.
“Quick Caroline!”
“I see it!”
“I think it just ran under that log.”
He found a much better hiding place.
“Is it okay to come out now?”
“Time for me to make my getaway while no one is looking.”
That was one cute skink.
We decided to walk to Mark’s closest neighbors place to check out a yurt they were building next to some very nice ponds. I have never heard of a yurt before. I found out that it was a round house with a domed ceiling and a hole in the top for a chimney, or in this case, a skylight.
I was amazed at the amount of space the building had.
This building was to be completely off the grid as well. Three cheers for green living!
Past the house in progress and up the hill was the one thing that all hikers in the south fear! Watch what happens when I lightly tap the sandy area with my snake hook
Stay away from that ant mound. They look small, but they are fast and fierce!
Next, it was time to check out an old barn in the middle of a field that fell down. Boards were everywhere. For the first time for all of us, we found the elusive cornsnake!
Why is this snake considered hard to find. Believe it or not, its people! One of the reasons for the snakes declining population is collection for the pet trade. There are many people who like snakes, but please Leave them in the Wild where they Belong! The main reason these snakes are disappearing is likely just the presence of people. We are building houses where animals used to live, and bulldozing over and killing thousands of animals. Cornsnakes do not occur in the Washington DC area because of this. Check your field guide however, and it will list the snake as occurring in the region. Sad. Hopefully little guys like this wild animal will make a comeback and continue doing its job eating mice!
We had a wonderful day herping. Now it was time to light a fire and cook some fajitas. I think Caroline was so excited about finding the corn snake she fell asleep on the couch first. Gradually we all staggered up the blue spiral staircase into our warm and cozy beds.
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