Arenivaga hunting in southern California

Aeluropoda said:
I collected mine just a few weeks ago (early November), most appeared to be nymphs of various sizes (a nice orange-brown color!) although there may be an adult female in the mix (don't know how big these are at maturity yet). No males under the cover boards, but I've had males come to my black lights in the spring and summer further south in the Coachella Valley. Did you get your Riverside specimens from the Santa Ana River area?
Click to expand...
Very cool, one of my friends was with me on a hike around 10pm and he pointed a roach out to me which was a mature male. That's what prompted me to start digging. Surprisingly no I didn't find these along or near the Santa Ana River although I want to try finding them there too because it seems like such an ideal spot for them. There is water running through this spot though, I guess these were on the side of a hill maybe 20-30 feet away from running water.

 
Are you familiar with the species (I believe undescribed as of yet) from the Colton Dunes area? Not really dunes nowadays, but some very sandy areas still left. I might try to collect some of those in the near future..

 
I have found males in the Imperial Dunes on the surface beneath creosote bush. I think this thread marks a first in terms of somebody expressing concerns with over-collecting a cockroach! Do you have information on them having an at-risk population status?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Peter Clausen said:
I have found males in the Imperial Dunes on the surface beneath creosote bush. I think this thread marks a first in terms of somebody expressing concerns with over-collecting a cockroach! Do you have information on them having an at-risk population status?
Click to expand...
Not at all! The method I used to find them was so quick and easy I could imagine over collecting happening very easily. Although maybe it was just a very lucky chance I had found them so easily. I haven't been able to go out and try it again though it has been incredibly windy here!

 
A lot of people suppose that because something is rarely seen, the species is rare. This is usually not the case, but more an artifact of people not caring to look. I'm pretty certain that me and the handful of other people in the roach hobby are very curious about your secret collecting method, but unlikely to utilize that knowledge by driving down to make our fortunes on collecting and selling them. If these Arenivaga are anything like the species or two that I've had (as well as nearly all other roaches), there are billions of them under the sand there. Go get more! We're dying for the next update!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
It's honestly not that huge of a secret. I just thought it was a great idea when I thought of it x) I am positive I am not the only person to use this method.

All I did was take some screen from a old reptile enclosure and made a sift out of it. I tested it out on the couple tiny nymphs before I took it out for testing and it was the perfect size. While I was sifting at this spot I found 20-30 hatched ooths and they were all found within 10ft of eachother and they were 30ft above a stream/waterfall on the side of a canyon/hill.

I will go out again soon. I have a meeting at work on Thursday and the spot is right around the corner so maybe I will go then :)

 
Herpetologyfrk said:
It's honestly not that huge of a secret. I just thought it was a great idea when I thought of it x) I am positive I am not the only person to use this method.

All I did was take some screen from a old reptile enclosure and made a sift out of it. I tested it out on the couple tiny nymphs before I took it out for testing and it was the perfect size. While I was sifting at this spot I found 20-30 hatched ooths and they were all found within 10ft of eachother and they were 30ft above a stream/waterfall on the side of a canyon/hill.

I will go out again soon. I have a meeting at work on Thursday and the spot is right around the corner so maybe I will go then :)
Click to expand...
 
Howdy you'll its been awhile. Missed talking about roaches. Anyway would like to report that Arenivaga are found in Aguanga Ca. This borders the Anza Borrego Desert locally there are no sand dunes. Males are attracted to uv light learning more will keep everyne informed. Thanks Ian

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top