Grasshopper breeding?

[Klinger #4077]

This summer I'm going to catch a lot of grasshoppers in my field. I was wondering what the proper set up would be to breed them since I only want him eating captive bred feeders? Also how long would it take for them to mature?

 

[Andee]

It depends on the species of grasshoppers you have in your local vicinity. I have a grasshopper species who only eat growing things, so I grew wheatgrass, chia sprouts, and clover. Most people have luck with feeding lettuce leaves and dark leafy greens etc. I usually provide some sort of dry food too, such as wheat bran that I refill on a regular basis. I use a regular light bulb as a light source, usually going no higher than 40 watts. I mist the sprouts once a day, providing extra water for the grasshoppers. The females need a soil/sand mixture. My females preferred more sand to soil. And needed a container at least 3 inches deep. My egg cases need to be put in diapause so I usually had a container I could remove and cover, and then I incubated after keeping them in the fridge for 4 months. Make sure the soil/sand stayed moist. Always make sure the cages have sticks of various types for the grasshoppers to climb and molt from. My grasshopper colonies did best in a combo glass and screen enclosures, though screen enclosures are relatively the go to.