Went Bug hunting today. . .

[chameleoman]

I gotta kinda bored this CA heat is killing me but only when i go outside my mom has had the ac on everyday. But i went outside today and decided to start up my cultures again to get some cbs from these guys, And i got a Tortoise!


p.s. they're pill bugs and snails
oh and more thing i have to share it was weird, i woke up this morning and theyre was a dove or white pigeon on my porch it was lying there all day then my moms friend came and took it theres a pic of it, its hard to see it had a weird neck

 

[ISA my Veiled]

very cool, I like that tortoise it kinda looks like a sulcata to be honest lol they are awesome looking

 

[chameleoman]

ya hes a sulcata

 

[Chameleonmaster]

I've alway wanted a tortoise only had turtles and a Box turtle your so lucky

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I gotta kinda bored this CA heat is killing me but only when i go outside my mom has had the ac on everyday. But i went outside today and decided to start up my cultures again to get some cbs from these guys, And i got a Tortoise!


p.s. they're pill bugs and snails
oh and more thing i have to share it was weird, i woke up this morning and theyre was a dove or white pigeon on my porch it was lying there all day then my moms friend came and took it theres a pic of it, its hard to see it had a weird neck

I just got back from bug hunting today too. It was terrible (I think not enough rain this winter) I went to my best spot that I normally catch between 8 to 24 Schistocerca shoshone and only caught three (two females and a lone male). I put them back to let them breed and make more babies. I went looking for these guys today.

 

[chameleoman]

I just got back from bug hunting today too. It was terrible (I think not enough rain this winter) I went to my best spot that I normally catch between 8 to 24 Schistocerca shoshone and only caught three (two females and a lone male). I put them back to let them breed and make more babies. I went looking for these guys today.

that sucks i cant even find any more grasshoppers! theres not really anything exotic in my yard besides grasshoppers and some giraffe butterfly's

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

that sucks i cant even find any more grasshoppers! theres not really anything exotic in my yard besides grasshoppers and some giraffe butterfly's

The Green Birds prefer areas with a lot of green vegetation with moisture around (plus a couple other things). It would be unlikely to find them as far south as you are. However you have got one neat species of hopper Schistocerca nitens which is found in vegetation and brush in dry areas. Here's a picture and they can be extremely difficult to catch (and breed).

 

[chameleoman]

i find them right next to my pools pump/heater/ and control panel its really dry right there lots of vines and spiny dandelion and some other weeds last time well last year i found like 10-15 baby green grasshoppers

 

[ataraxia]

Extremely difficult doesnt even touch the frustration you will end up having. A few cuss words should start before the extremely difficult part..Large net with a long handle is all i can say. I know a field where i see these all the time right....Gotta wild hair that wanted to go catch some. So off away i went with a large fish net Approx 12x8 with a 12-18 inch handle. After chasing them for about 15 minutes my brain finally started working while im out of breath..So im sweatin, out of breath..Im getting pissed. Im like ok, how am i going to catch these mother$!^%#$*&(&$$^!@#%!@##%#$^%&^*%^$%& things. Only way of my many different failed attempts was army belly crawl to them and when your within distance pounce on that @ss. Needless to say i wont for any reason go catchin these effin pro evading insects without a really long handled net!!!Even then it will be work.

Edit: one thing that i thought was interesting was when one would get within range of another. Once one landed another would fly and land right next to the one that just landed. Not sure if it was males or females being territorial or it was sex time.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Extremely difficult doesnt even touch the frustration you will end up having. A few cuss words should start before the extremely difficult part..Large net with a long handle is all i can say. I know a field where i see these all the time right....Gotta wild hair that wanted to go catch some. So off away i went with a large fish net Approx 12x8 with a 12-18 inch handle. After chasing them for about 15 minutes my brain finally started working while im out of breath..So im sweatin, out of breath..Im getting pissed. Im like ok, how am i going to catch these mother$!^%#$*&(&$$^!@#%!@##%#$^%&^*%^$%& things. Only way of my many different failed attempts was army belly crawl to them and when your within distance pounce on that @ss. Needless to say i wont for any reason go catchin these effin pro evading insects without a really long handled net!!!Even then it will be work.

Edit: one thing that i thought was interesting was when one would get within range of another. Once one landed another would fly and land right next to the one that just landed. Not sure if it was males or females being territorial or it was sex time.

HaHa I hear and have felt your pain of going after these guys. I was at that stage at onetime too.

There is a trick to collecting Schistocerca nitens and it is as easy as picking apples. I would locate a non pesticide area where you know there is a large population. Then go collecting at night. It is as easy as picking apples and will spare you the cuts, bruises and eating dirt. Give it a go and see what you think. As well I would remove the legs from the ones you catch prior to feeding.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

i find them right next to my pools pump/heater/ and control panel its really dry right there lots of vines and spiny dandelion and some other weeds last time well last year i found like 10-15 baby green grasshoppers

You could catch and raise up the nymphs. It is much easier than collecting the adults. Night is a good time to collect those as well.

 

[chameleoman]

You could catch and raise up the nymphs. It is much easier than collecting the adults. Night is a good time to collect those as well.

really, night time? ill try that tomorrow, i usually look during the day in the hot sun i dont look for the adults though i look for the nymphs

 

[ataraxia]

HaHa I hear and have felt your pain of going after these guys. I was at that stage at onetime too.

There is a trick to collecting Schistocerca nitens and it is as easy as picking apples. I would locate a non pesticide area where you know there is a large population. Then go collecting at night. It is as easy as picking apples and will spare you the cuts, bruises and eating dirt. Give it a go and see what you think. As well I would remove the legs from the ones you catch prior to feeding.

So tell me more of this hunting for these at night! Do they stay on tree's, bushes for the night or are the found on the ground?

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

So tell me more of this hunting for these at night! Do they stay on tree's, bushes for the night or are the found on the ground?

I shall put you on the path (I can say what I can whether you catch them yourself is up to you) of non frustrating Schistocerca nitens hunting. Just find and area that has adults plus some readily available vegetation (preferably green and a pesticide free area) for nymph and sub adult forage. Then go out at night (with a large spotlight or flashlight) and the Gray Birds ascend (mostly low lying shrubs and tall grasses) to the the mid to tops of the plants and in a good area can be as easy as picking apples. That's about all.

I can be kind of dangerous, watch out for Rattle Snakes. I have seen some of the biggest Western Diamond Backs when hunting for Schistocrca. Good luck hunting tonight.

 

[Thezillaman21]

Extremely difficult doesnt even touch the frustration you will end up having. A few cuss words should start before the extremely difficult part..Large net with a long handle is all i can say. I know a field where i see these all the time right....Gotta wild hair that wanted to go catch some. So off away i went with a large fish net Approx 12x8 with a 12-18 inch handle. After chasing them for about 15 minutes my brain finally started working while im out of breath..So im sweatin, out of breath..Im getting pissed. Im like ok, how am i going to catch these mother$!^%#$*&(&$$^!@#%!@##%#$^%&^*%^$%& things. Only way of my many different failed attempts was army belly crawl to them and when your within distance pounce on that @ss. Needless to say i wont for any reason go catchin these effin pro evading insects without a really long handled net!!!Even then it will be work.

Edit: one thing that i thought was interesting was when one would get within range of another. Once one landed another would fly and land right next to the one that just landed. Not sure if it was males or females being territorial or it was sex time.

haha, I killed one yesterday walking thew my feild..it flew under my foot and I heard a crunch turned around and it was twitching.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Schistocerca shoshone (the other species native to the area) hunting is not the same. I normally go during the day.

 

[ataraxia]

Thank you! The fields where i find grey birds have knee height grass with a bush or tree here and there. These fields are mainly surrounded by woods or bodies of water. I am going to try this soon enough. Im as blind as a bat at night so this will be fun lol.

Not sure of the exact species but the green grasshoppers around here are cake to catch. You can walk up to them and pick them up.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Thank you! The fields where i find grey birds have knee height grass with a bush or tree here and there. These fields are mainly surrounded by woods or bodies of water. I am going to try this soon enough. Im as blind as a bat at night so this will be fun lol.

Not sure of the exact species but the green grasshoppers around here are cake to catch. You can walk up to them and pick them up.

Field collecting Schistocerca really is the best way to go about keeping these giant grasshoppers. You have not got to deal with the US Agriculture Department or State Department if your not moving them. Plus almost all of the lower 48 has got a species that is native to the area. Once you learn and are accomplished at collecting them the only difficult part is breeding them year round. My Schistocerca nitens have lived to be over 1 year old mated and laid eggs. However no hatching. While I'm working on F2 Schistocerca shoshone. Who are currently mating.

Jeremy A. Rich

 

[ataraxia]

Thats awesome. The same techniques wont work with the greys huh? Ill have to get with you when i get a group and pick you of some of your secrets

 

[chameleoman]

YYYAAAAAA newborn pill bugs already in the container!!! will be for sale when i have more