How to breed Cryptocercus?

C

Cariblatta

Sixth Instar
Seems that hardly anyone has successfully kept this genus for multiple generations. Can somebody tell me some tips on rearing this genus?

 
They are difficult and sensitive. I had babies I reared up and they took almost five years to mature at room temperature so when someone claims to have a breeding colony it makes me wonder.

 
Orin McMonigle said:
They are difficult and sensitive. I had babies I reared up and they took almost five years to mature at room temperature so when someone claims to have a breeding colony it makes me wonder.
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They can be reared at room temperature?!!!

Man....all the people I've talked to claimed that they needed to be kept cold, but I guess their rearing method was wrong.

 
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Gee.. Even if they're inconvenient to breed in captivity, what a fascinating insect. They're just these big, tropical- looking proto termites only they live on cold NA mountains. I saw one once in North Carolina under a rotten log and thought it was some sort of small hisser type thing...

 
From what I have read, heard and experienced, the two Cryptocercus species found along the southernmost part of the species range (C. darwini- central TN/ northern Alabama and C. garciai-northern GA) prefer lowland forests and are not as sensitive to higher temperatures as those found in higher elevations such as C. wrighti and C. punctulatus. An acquaintance of mine who lives near the range occupied by C. darwini stated that some of the largest C. darwini colonies he uncovered were found in sun exposed logs whose surface temps were well over 90 degrees. But in captivity, it seems these roaches are highly prone to fungal infections especially if the wood offered is not properly "seasoned". In addition, too much organic material in the wood can actually offset the roach's redox potentials causing their gut fauna to either stress and die or form waste chemicals that are potentially lethal especially at higher temperatures. As a result, they're definitely not a beginner roach and certainly one that's best maintained by expert blattaculturalists only or better yet, left alone entirely due to their rather limited population status. There has been some serious considerations about placing all Cryptocercus species including those found in Asia under a "high risk" category from a conservation standpoint.

Mark

 
Suppose you just took everything, log, substrate, and roaches, straight from location of capture? Then you wouldn't have to worry about finding properly decomposed wood 'cause the roaches picked it already. Maybe fungal infections could be combated by keeping it moist, like their habitat, but adding a good drainage system and ventilating with a fan or something.

 
"The range of Cryptocercus is affected most by abiotic factors. The Cryptocercus Wood Roach does not leave the logs where it nests. It has a limited ability to withstand cold, which limits the northern extent of its range. The protozoan symbionts of Cryptocercuscannot withstand temperature above 30 degrees C (86 F). Thus Cryptocercus is most abundant in the higher elevations of the Appalachians where the summer temperatures are cool and the winter temperatures are not severe. The California – Oregon populations also have mild winter and summer temperatures."

an interesting info I found from this website : https://livingwithinsects.wordpress.com/page/40/

Looks like I'll have to keep my 30 or so specimens I collected today into the refrigerator. LOL

 
Why not keep them at room temps? It says the symbionts can not live in temps above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, so they should be fine at 70F, right? Either way, good luck breeding them! :)

 
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Is there any evidence that the disturbance of collection, or the breakup of social groups might have a negative influence on their culture in captivity?

 
Probably. Personally, if I was to collect cryptocercus, I would gently lift the entire log into their enclosure and use substrate collected on- site.

 
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