8/9/2023: The glamour of Gryllus grabbing

by Kyle Kandilian · August 9, 2023

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 pet store yet very few keep any of North America’s dozens of Gryllus species. Each is a subtle play on similar theme, which makes it extra special when a very unique species is collected.

Alan and Kai’s southwest expedition this year was described as pretty okay, with the dryness preventing conditions from being exceptional. However, it was a very good trip for field crickets!

Approximately 10 localities, some old and some new, are now in my possession as I give my best effort at squeezing some eggs out of each group no matter their condition. Among these is a tentative species I have wanted again for a long time, Gryllus locorojo. The stock I collected (and lost) near the US-Mexico border was convincingly similar to old hobby stock of locorojo, so we’ll see if future genetic work confirms the identity of this year’s stock.

Raising field crickets isn’t for everyone, but I hope one day the dozen plus species/localities I culture will be appreciated by a few keepers if not just for their melodic calls.

The spoils of war. Each needs its own quarantine egg laying cup, followed by a sized–up colony enclosure, then the final colony enclosure. All must be ventilated yet perfectly escape proof.

-Kyle