Category: Blog Posts

Roach Crossing is running a raffle to help fund the website overhaul, featuring some of your favorite invertebrates! RAFFLE INFORMATION/RULES Raffle tickets will be sold from November 9th 2023 until December **7th The raffle...

The highly anticipated (and dreaded) time is drawing near: Roach Crossing is getting ready for its first overhaul in almost a decade! Every single species page will be updated with current information based on...

The time has come for the October Bugapalooza! In this post you will find all of the information about the upcoming auction. DAY 1 SEPTEMBER 29TH YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM DAY 2 SEPTEMBER 30TH YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM...

It’s been over a year since I’ve posted a grand roach culture list, and with September right around the corner and some epic new acquisitions thanks to generous roach friends, this seemed to be...

The last 2 years have been wonderful for me in terms of roach propagation. I have more species in culture than ever before, and acquiring new ones to figure out the husbandry has gone...

Summer is flying by and the feeling is exacerbated by Nazig’s non-stop growth! She’s gotten so big since arriving here in May (thanks to the April Auction’s participants!) and has gone from a cute...

Another year, another birthday. I was grateful to yet again be joined by friends and family on my 31st. As is tradition the last few years, we did some hiking at Lake Erie Metropark...

I often sing the praises of roaches, but despite being musical insects (and singing for themselves) cricket keeping hasn’t really caught on in the United States. Acheta and Gryllodes are available and almost every...

Almost a decade ago Alan Jeon sent me my first Microtomus purcis, one of North America’s prettiest assassin bugs. I got immediate results as babies popped up by the dozens and thrived for a...

Neostylopyga rhombifolia have come and gone in culture over the last few years, but after receiving new stock originating in China I think I’ve got their husbandry down. Much like Periplaneta brunnea, they seem...

The wilds of Florida conceal many secrets and it seems like every few months roach keepers gain access to yet another species not officially listed as established in Florida despite there being large breeding...

Sometimes you can’t save the plane from crashing no matter how hard you pull up on the controls. This goes for roach colonies too… but it never hurts to try. My Pseudoglomeris magnifica “Cuc...

This summer has been a flurry of work, stress, and planning for the future. I have finally gotten to checking on most of my collection and despite some reasonable losses (losing half of a...

This news has been a long time coming and I’ve deliberated on it for a few years now, but Roach Crossing is due for its (hopefully) final overhaul. Pending availability of property for the...

Adding to the list of work I make for myself, I’ve decided to cave and add yet another animal to the household. With the yard being fenced in for the dogs, the many cats...

A titanic thanks to everyone who made yesterday’s mini-auction a huge success! Pending some factors out of my hands, I will now be able to afford a collecting trip to New Mexico/Texas this summer...

Summer is here and it’s tempting to start a billion new projects with all the bugs and flora out and about. A bit out of the bug bounds, I’ve had a few bird hatches...

I’m back to work after a much-needed very relaxing weekend. Angela had some great quality time together and got to soak in some very pretty scenery up near Traverse City. I had to hit...

I hope everyone is enjoying the light and warmth of our first true day of summer! I have been busy in the roach mines catching up on orders but will be taking some time...

Wrapping up the gardening mini-series we have an entry on perspective. Nazig has been quite the teething hellion and is far more outgoing and confident than Viktor was at her age. In her blind...

Continuing this mini-series of garden related entries, I was shocked to find that my scarlet runner beans self-sowed into my patio garden area. This is a large, robust, tropical perennial valued for its edible...

I perpetually exist in the space between being critical of man-made abominations and admiring them as works of human ingenuity coupled with the flexibility of nature. On a whim I purchased a dirt cheap...

In the spirit of getting back into regular blogs, I wanted to keep things a bit easier and offer some perspective on the last few weeks. It has been difficult keeping on top of...

Spring auction squaring up is just about done. If your order had DOAs, needed substitutions, or had any other deviation that we have not already discussed via email, PLEASE contact me so we can...

It has taken weeks but I have completely cleared both inboxes. Regular replies should be the norm until the next major thing, which will hopefully be the move in the coming months. Website availability...

Just as auction order shipping is wrapping up and I’ve been getting through the inbox, fate decided to strike right to the heart once more. Several hours ago our power went out, rendering me...

The day has finally come: Viktor’s girlfriend has arrived!Nazig (meaning delicate in Armenian) arrived at about 1:30 AM and was very excited to get out of her travel crate So far she has been...

The blog posts section has been silent but a lot has been going on behind the scenes as I organize stock, ship out the remaining auction orders, and prepare for the biggest move of...

Another batch of orders has been shipped from the auction roster. Please check the Discord server to see if yours was shipped this week as well as additional details for what to do in...

This week was the first week of auction shipping. I was able to get most of the orders out, but not all of them. Check the Discord server to see if yours was one...

All, Roach Crossing has begun taking regular orders once more. Expect delayed ship dates as the auction orders will be going out first, followed by standard orders. Have a lovely spring and hope to...

As noted on the home page, I will be going on a hiatus for all non-auction orders until I am caught up on animal husbandry and auction related things. Thank you for understanding during...

After the excellent turn out at last weekend’s auction coupled with all the finds from the collecting trip, I’ve been having a difficult time prioritizing things. This post will outline my schedule for the...

Today marks the beginning of the spring 2023 Alabama trip! I’m hopeful for a touch of relaxation and many new bug finds on this expedition. I’m excited to catch up with everyone afterwards, be...

OFFICIAL RULES, SCHEDULE, AND NOTES MUST READ! **UPDATED 3/31/2023** Roach Crossing Bugapalooza Auction Server on Discord: https://discord.gg/aNPA2xxPV2 1. Before participating, please be familiar with the Youtube Community Guidelines: https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/ 2. All participants must be...

You may have noticed the blog posts have been scarce lately. I’m currently very busy getting my affairs in order for the collecting trip next week as well as the auction taking place a...

Once more I’ve found myself admiring my feeders to a degree that most would admire their cherished pet tarantula or “higher” organism. Mid chore spree in the bug room, two firebrats in the new...

In September 2021, Will and I collected a mated female Dynastes grantii in southeastern Arizona. I was able to get several larvae from her, and now a year and a half later they’re preparing...

Spring is fast approaching as is the next Bugapalooza auction! This time, one of the auction days will be particularly special: the goal is to raise money for a girlfriend for everyone’s favorite livestream...

The prime time for big bugs in Michigan is narrow temporally, a fact that my southern friends love to hammer home. My area is not without its treasures though, and even though some of...

Would you laugh if someone tried to keep a fish alive out of water and wondered why they failed? While it seems like common sense, this is a common pitfall invertebrate keepers. Through different...

Valentine’s day has come and gone, but there are a lot of singles still in the trenches of the love war. One of those soldiers is everybody’s favorite livestream interrupter, Viktor. Viktor is finally...

As a chronic perfectionist I have the habit of holding onto linebreeding projects until things are… well, perfect. Sometimes I over correct for issues caused by lapses in husbandry or poor pairing results, and...

I’ve been empowered over the last year to work with some beetles I originally shied away from. With proper space, resources, and more bug experience under my belt I’ve had some calculated successes. Among...

Though the days are getting longer, the doom and gloom of winter usually hits hardest at this time of year. Last year I was proactive in staving off the blues and revisited an old...

Back in October I received the surprise of the month. After coveting them for several years, a contact reached out with pictures of the fragile cockroach, Euthlastoblatta abortiva, a drop-dead gorgeous ectobiioid roach from...

On record, I’ve stated that my second favorite group of insects are the silverfish (order Zygentoma), and I need to stand by my statement lest I be harassed by certain record keepers. Despite being...

Unique roach behaviors are sometimes overlooked in captivity, a fault I am often guilty of. However, on those few nights where I can prowl the bug room uninhibited by schedule restrictions, I often have...

Wrapping up a series of photos I took while patrolling the bug room at night with child-like bliss, I’d like to wax poetic on the emotional joys of keeping roaches. Unlike most of the...

I have a generalized obsession with hemimetabolic insects, greatly subsidized by the ease of culture and diversity of cockroach species. Orthopterans have long been on my radar as well and the number of species...

Keeping Polydesmids, the flat millipedes, can be an arduous task due to how little is known about many of the species. In the last few years there have been some major strides with such...

I’ve had several Gromphadorhina portentosa breeding projects brewing in the background over the last 2 years, and while many people are excited for breeding up a line’s size, I’ve taken great joy in doing...

After a long absence of blog posts I was ready to come back hard with some pictures after a whimsical night wandering about the bug room, but this morning I was gobsmacked with some...

The guide is finally live! Head over to the Care Guides page to check it out. Thank you all for your moral and financial support, I hope you find this update extremely informative and...

Whether you celebrate or not, here’s to a very Merry Christmas from Roach Crossing! Stay warm and survive the temperate winter! In line with yuletide color theming, all order inquiries submitted today will receive...

It’s done! The guide has been fully updated with new pictures, information, and sections. As I had discussed on the livestream, donators received early access to the guide, but it will be up on...

Yesterday was a great day for writing and I’m proud to say the guide has grown from the original 14 pages to 20 pages. There is information slipped into most sections, though I was...

I’m pleased and a bit shocked to say that with just a few updates to the information in the guide, another two pages have spontaneously been generated. Progress has been incremental and the worst...

Yesterday progress on the care guide was pretty straightforward; I printed a hard copy, did a read-through, annotated some things that needed to be changed, and added a list of information and sections I’d...

Today marks the start of my week-long sabbatical to work on updating the cockroach husbandry guide. I figured I would clear the inboxes one last time before Christmas and will be doing that shortly...

Although funding for the guide is only at 60% currently, I have decided to go ahead and confirm that I will be taking that business week off to work on the guide. I have...

I received a box of an incredible rough isopod strain last week, those lovelies being Porcellio scaber “Excalibur”. This phenotype is the work of two diligent keepers, Anthony Green and Mike Thalacker. Anthony collected...

I’m gravitated towards the executive decision of taking some time off this December to update the website availability as well as add some things. A fleshed out content update is still a bit off...

Drosophila cultures are one of the handiest things to have around when working with small invertebrates. We all may have gripes about feral fruit flies, but domesticated, flightless strains outproduce most other insects and...

Earlier this year I was given a pair of two very special hissing cockroaches, Gromphadorhina portentosa “Masoala” and Princisia vanwaerebeki “Androhamana”, both wild strains with locality information (sort of in the case of the...

In the last few livestreams we attempted to created a Kickstarter project to fund a revision of the Cockroach Husbandry Guide, however due to some technicalities this is probably not a viable option. I...

I am very thankful for another incredible year at Roach Crossing and hope everyone has a pleasant, safe, and relaxing holiday. May we all ease into this winter season gracefully! -Kyle

2022 has been the year of the Gryllus as I’ve collected species from across the US to captive breed. I have two established cultures and hope to round them out with another 5 by...

Last year marked my first success with multiple generations of Ectobius pallidus. This is a finicky ectobiid introduced to the midwest from Europe, although interestingly the genus is believed to have evolved in North...

It’s been too long since the last blog post, and to be honest I had almost forgotten about that section of the site! Winter is here seasonally as the first snow fell on Saturday,...

It feels like forever since the last blog post, but here it is! The majority of auction orders have been shipped with a few major outliers (you know who you are), and I have...

I have SEVERELY underestimated my packing speed and as of today I’ve only managed to get 3/4 of the shipping cups MADE. For those who have received orders from me before, every container is...

Greetings all,The blog section has been quiet as I frantically prepare for this weekend’s big event! Posts should return at high frequency when things calm down in the fall, as they often do. Here...

I’ve finally figured out how to upload videos in high quality to the Youtube channel and will be sharing more snippets of bug adventures and cultures. The honor of first collecting trip video goes...

Roach Crossing has come to an important crossroads. With a move coming up soon and more bugs arriving to the menagerie this summer than ever before, I’m faced with addressing my very real space...

In September 2010, Roach Forum user John Frost began selectively breeding Blaptica dubia for golden coloration. Focusing on adult females and with twelve long years of careful choices, he finally released his magnum opus...

I’ve been in overdrive catching up on all the things that need to be done, but I’m particular invigorated to get ahead on things before a busy fall sets in. Most of my colonies...

The blog posts section has been pretty quiet lately, and this is primarily due to the bulk of my time being spent putting away new bugs and recovering from the trip. I have a...

After a very successful trip, I’m back and burdened with many new bugs. I look forward to sharing my observations and finds with everyone on the upcoming September 1st livestream, as well as in...

Today, I depart on my arduous journey out west to satisfy my lust for more sand roaches and spend some important time with a special someone. Though I can’t say for certain what awaits,...

The blog’s been a bit quiet this last week as I tie up loose ends and prepare for an ambitious out west trip. To cap things off before I leave, today at 6 PM...

This weekend’s garden tour was a huge success after many intense prep hours beforehand. I’m now in the middle of getting the last of the pre-trip orders packed and shipped, as well as getting...

Last Saturday was a pleasant break from the current bug grind, the intensity of which has been a heavy burden lately. Good company and atmosphere were just what I needed, although the day wasn’t...

The days are long, hot, and oscillating between dry and wet. My to-do list is long and seems never-ending. Several trips are behind me, and one big one looms on the near horizon. The...

I didn’t know it was possible for 2 days to feel like 2 weeks, and yet last weekend did. Over 16 hours straight of driving and only 7 hours of viable collecting time made...

The Tennessee blitz went splendidly and I’ll be putting a write-up for that out soon, but there is some equally exciting news afoot! A short while ago Alan Jeon told me he had gotten...

One of the projects I’ve been intimately documenting on the livestream has been progress with Tafalisca eleuthera, known to hobby keepers as the Florida false weta. My experiences are well-detailed on the Youtube channel,...

This weekend I will be heading to the lovely state of Tennessee to visit a long-time friend, pick up some very special chickens, and do a bit of summertime bugging far outside my usual...

Collecting Trip Finds and Wild-Caught Availability After grappling with the idea for a while I’ve finally added a page for wild-caught stock and trip finds. Thinking forward to the out west trip, it has...

Being understaffed once more in addition to this being the peak time of year for new bug cultures, I have been pretty pressed for time and energy. Regardless of my petty needs for decent...

At some point in academic bug circles Narceus americanus gained the common name “American giant millipede”. While the species (as it’s currently described) is quite large among the many introduced julide of the eastern...

There are some big things in the works for this fall, and unfortunately after being out of the Tinley Park expo scene for a few years it’s become impossible to get a table. Though...

With my staycation behind me I feel a bit brazen to show off some of my projects around the yard. In addition to all of my bugs, my half acre property is home to...

Hello once more! With my mind and body rested after a good break, I will be back to standard operations once more. E-mails should be cleared within a few days and pending orders processed...

Today marks the start of the first semi-formal vacation I’ve had in years! I’ll be using this time to catch up on yard projects, do some hiking, spend some time with a special someone,...

Some unfortunate news for all the livestream fans: this week’s livestream is cancelled. I forgot that I had double booked this Thursday for a livestream but had previously committed to doing a native edible...

The meme of “disgusting bugs” is pervasive in western culture, and many of us who frequent this site do our best to dispel and educate away these erratic stigmas. However, there are truly beautiful...

For those who haven’t watched last week’s livestream, I’m coming off the heels of both my parents contracting covid and needing frequent care which has set back many of the day-in, day-out operations at...

May 26th was Viktor’s first birthday, and pending genetic testing in another 8 months he’ll be viable for studding! We have been working on his cross-species socializing daily, and some things have come more...

Yesterday’s livestream was a real pleasure, and can be watched here for those who weren’t able to attend. I wanted to thank all the new folks that show up and hang out as well...

This is a huge confirmation of something I’ve suspected all along: simple recessive traits can express very differently in different localities of the same isopod species. While this makes sense to some, “big isopod”...

It’s been a long time coming, but the days of fast n’ loose wild caught Phidippus regius may be coming to a close. In keeping with my sustainable harvesting values and the collector’s population...

Younger iterations of Kyle had some incredible roach luck. To this day I occasionally struggle with Deropeltis sp., Neostylopyga rhombifolia, and Eurycotis opaca, species I was able to produce in good numbers consistently in...

That most glorious day has finally come… I have produced an F2 of Hemithyrsocera vittata It’s been a little over a year since I started the colony, and in that time I’ve waited through...

Upon entering the office to do desk work today I realized I had left the window open overnight. Temps outside swung into the 50s last night, and even with the insulation of the surrounding...

Sometimes I get a little itch to crawl the bug room and catalogue all of my strains/species, and that feeling struck again the other day. About once a year it’s nice to have a...

Riding on the coat tails of Arenivaga apacha “Cave Creek Canyon”‘s success, sp. “Amado” are ready for an upgrade. However, this locality poses a unique problem: it is a mixture of two species! Arenivaga...

8 months ago Will and I set out on our Arizona collecting blitz, with my goal being to re-collect as many Arenivaga species and get them culturing once and for all. It has been...

Oniscus asellus “Mardi Gras Dalmatian” is an… interesting strain. From discussion with the creator, the line is allowed to contain some wild types, dalmatians of varying yellow expression, and intriguingly… piebalds. A few have...

The bounties of the wild and untamed state of Florida know no bounds. Following up from the collecting trip last March, colonies of many things collecting them are coming to maturity and giving an...

Hello again everyone! Another blog post, and another busy week down! Fortunately over the last few weekends I’ve gotten a lot of critical farm/yard work done, and weekdays have been going smoothly now that...

Perisphaerinae have received a lot of love lately with the expanding availability of Pseudoglomeris magnifica. There has been another species brewing in the shadows, though. Pseudoglomeris tarsalis seems to be magnifica‘s even easier-going cousin,...

Roach keepers in the United States have been ashamed to admit for some time that the “easiest” roach to keep, the one that can be found at infestation levels in apartments, dorm rooms, and...

Right before the Alabama trip I was sent a good number of one of North America’s most delightful boneless treasures: Megaphasma dentricus. This species holds the record for the continent’s longest insect and despite...

Michigan weather was in a bit of a stall for several weeks, but it seems temperatures are just warm enough for spring to kick into action. Numerous horticultural weeds have bloomed (and for many,...

Jumping back into the blog-o-sphere, this week famed Invertebrate Dude TJ sent me a lovely box of new roach goodies, many of which are gracing my presence for the first time. Among those goodies...

Hello again everyone after a drought of posts! This is a mid-depth update to bring you all up to speed with some current goings-ons at Roach Crossing. It’s been tough finding time to do...

Presenting another cool and entirely unbelievable bug, these millipedes are incredible! Found only in scattered localities in the southeastern United States, you won’t believe what happens when they’re exposed to a certain light: they...

The Alabama trip was incredibly fruitful and it’s been a chore to prioritize what things get put away first with everything that needs to be done. One thing I set up almost immediately was...

The dust is still settling from the Alabama trip as I hurriedly catch up on e-mails, blog posts (soon!), and putting away the many awesome finds we made, but amidst this I have some...

The winds of whim blow southwards yet again as Will and I depart on what may be our shortest expedition yet: a weekend blitz of ‘Bama for some miscellaneous bugs and a chance to...

My lovely lady Scolopendra heros arizonensis never ceases to intrigue. She’s grown quite rotund from the steady stream of feeder roaches, and considering she’s an honorary Texan having been found in Texas Canyon (Arizona),...

Six months have passed since the Arizona trip, and the last of the projects acquired therein have started to come to fruition. Having spotted shimmers of green through the sides of the enclosure, I...

As with any interest, the tumor-esque quest for more leaves many victims in its wake. The isopod hobby, much like the Big Bang, witnessed unparalleled growth in a short time period, and has been...

Getting back into mantids has been a mixture of elation and frustration. Progress with some species has gone swimmingly, with growth being rapid and feeding a breeze with typical feeder fare. Others have been...

Surely, in the coming days roach keepers will face an inflammatory schism: which is cooler, Lanxoblatta rudis, or Phortioeca sp. “Ecuador”? There has been a consistent struggle over the years to perpetuate Lanxoblatta rudis...

It seems like only yesterday I received a healthy sampling of Florida invertebrates from Kai and Alan, and now some of the little lads and lasses they collected are all grown up. I took...

Last Sunday I was willingly dragged down to that most cursed place, the state of Ohio, by Kai to pick up some bugs from vanguard invertebrate master Orin McMonigle. Orin has been around the...