Grasshoppers... Can't get it right

[Andee]

Ok so I had a light on them, wheat grass to keep them happy, and wheat bran. But I couldn't figure out how to get the eggs to hatch and I only got like three eggs. I don't know if they needed a diapause or not. They grasshoppers have all been fed off by now. Anyone have any tips for the next group?

 

[Action Jackson]

Ok so I had a light on them, wheat grass to keep them happy, and wheat bran. But I couldn't figure out how to get the eggs to hatch and I only got like three eggs. I don't know if they needed a diapause or not. They grasshoppers have all been fed off by now. Anyone have any tips for the next group?

Lol. I feel your pain.

I have been breeding grasshoppers for a few years. Generally I use a damp but not wet substrate. Sand/vermiculite works, I have also use peat and cocoa fiber.
They usually lay in through out summer and the eggs hatch in the spring. I do my best to keep breeding them but I have a lot of other things going on and sometimes let the substrate dry out which is not good. So yes mine get a diapause, but this year I'm trying to pay more attention to keeping the substrate moist and have actually had 5 babies hatch out recently. I believe this is my 5th generation form my original group.

I keep them in 18x18x36 screen cages with a 100w incandescent bulb on the top. I feed them mostly romaine lettuce and some grass type weeds. They are pretty hardy but make sure and food items are washed. On a few occasions I've fed them romaine that was not washed and have lost some do to insecticides I suspect on the lettuce.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Andee]

Ah I wasn't using substrate and was instead using deli cups with sand in them... maybe I should try the substrate this spring or whenever it's less rainy XD not that I am asking for less rain by any means. Thanks for the tip 8D I will let you know how it goes.