A quick look at some of the Forked Fungus Beetles at the OIF. These are probably one of the more interesting darkling beetle species out there given their fascinating lifecycle and sexual dimorphism.
#ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #Coleoptera #forkedfungusbeetle #forkedfungusbeetles
A successful hatch of Carolina locusts (Dissosteira carolina) only a month after eggs being removed from diapause.
Also called 'road dusters,' 'quakers,' 'black-winged grasshopper,' these insects don't usually cause problems for the agricultural sector, although historically they have sporadically proved problematic for some growers in both the US and southern Canada in the early 20th century.
Their decent growth rate and wide-ranging diet, as well as their large size when full grown, made me feel that this would be a good candidate to trial for use as a feeder insect for captive herptiles. I will be continuing to post regular updates as this trial proceeds.
#ontarioinvertfarm #invertebratesofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #grasshopper #carolinalocust #captivebred #captivebreeding #rearingtrial #Dissosteiracarolina
A quick look at some Armadillido officinalis var."Orange Crush" from the OIF. These are commonly referred to as "Orange Crush hissing isopods" and they do indeed emit a little 'hiss' when disturbed. They make this sound by moving their pereopods (legs) quickly in circular motions on the inside their exoskeleton.
They are a hardy and adaptable species which can tolerate both drier and tropical conditions. Their harder exoskeleton doesn't make them ideal for use as feeders however.
#ontarioinvertfarm #invertebratesofinstagram #isopodsofinstagram #isopods #isopod #isopoda #orangecrushisopods #armadillidium
As promised in my last video, this is a short clip showing you how to keep the humidity sufficiently high for hatching Lepidoptera ova.
Using the moisture from your breath, simply "huff" breath into the container, opening the lid barely a crack, to add enough humidity that the eggs won't dessicate. At the same time this method avoids the larger droplets of condensation which would occur if they are sprayed directly, which often leads to mold or can drown newly hatched caterpillars.
#captivebreeding #ontarioinvertfarm #insectrearing #lepidoptera #butterflyfarming101 #butterflyfarming
The OIF is always working to bring you new inverts for your bioactive setups, clean up crews, or just to keep & rear for their own sake. This year is no different and we have some awesome species in the works right now.
This video is showing off the colony of Spotted Diaperis (Diaperis maculata) we're rearing for use in a new project we're planning to launch once it's better developed.
These beetles may look vaguely like some kind ladybird beetles, but they are in fact a member of the darkling beetle family! Diaperis beetles are predominantly found in more tropical regions, but luckily this delightful species ranges across much of eastern North America all the way up to Ontario.
With novel species such as this, there often isn't much (if any) publically available information available on their captive care. The OIF is pleased to play a role in not only bring you new species, but to help develop methods and techniques to help build and maintain captive colonies of these species moving forward.
#spotteddiaperis #cleanupcrew #bioactive #ontarioinvertfarm #captivebred #invertebratesofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #captiverearing #beetles
A short clip showing the size difference between dwarf white isopods and dwarf purple isopods. Although the dwarf whites are pretty small, they still grow to almost twice the size of the purples!
In addition, the dwarf whites breed much faster than their purple counterparts. The quicker breeding of the whites means their numbers can explode if they don't have any predators to keep their population in check.
Both species are available through the Ontario Invert Farm and are good additions to bioactive setups.
#ontarioinvertfarm #invertebratesofinstagram #bioactive #dwarfwhiteisopods #dwarfpurpleisopods #dartfrogterrarium #cleanupcrew
It has recently been brought to my attention that while the giant millipede species found here in Canada is commonly labelled "Narceus americanus," but that may, in fact, be a case of mistaken identity. Up to 14 "species"of giant millipede found in North America were historically classified distinctly taxonomically, but now are lumped under the Narceus americanus - annulus complex.
The two species aren't even really distinct enough to readily tell them apart. Annulus may grow a bit smaller, grow a tad slower, and live a little longer. The only way to know for sure is looking at the male genitalia. Based on their ranges, the species found north of the border is likely be Narceus annulus. However, it is important to note there is a fair amount of cross over and for utility sake they're usually just collectively referred to as the "Narceus americanus - annulus complex"
At the end of the day, does it change much? Aside from having to replace some labels on tanks, not really. These are still the same delightful myriapods with beautiful colors and adorable faces.
#ontarioinvertfarm
#invertebratesofinstagram #Narceus #narceusamericanus #Americangiantmillipede
A great start to the year!!! My favourite tarantulas, Socotra Island Blue Baboons (Monocentropus balfouri), in a courtship dance! The spider on the right with brighter blue colouration is the male, who is attempting to woo his dull coloured counterpart on the left. Usually opting to avoid any direct interaction between them, this is the most connection I've seen between any in the colony...like, ever!
This is a truly unique tarantula - known to be the most social tarantulas in the hobby, they can be kept communally - these two share their enclosure with an additional six individuals! This group not only tolerates each others' presence, but even when given the option to spread out they appear to prefer to share the same burrow.
For an old world species they are also remarkably well tempered! I had no trouble transferring each spider carefully by hand into their current habitat when they were upgraded to a new tank. I have never observed any defensive behaviour or any threat poses during my time keeping them, and tend to be quite shy.
This remarkable spider is also distinct in the care they provide for their offspring. Traditionally many tarantula breeders will remove the egg sac from the mother to raise the young seperately, which avoids issues with cannibalism. With blue baboons, it has been found that mortality of the slings actually significantly increases if this course of action is taken. Typically, mother balfouri are great caretakers of their eggs & young, and have been observed sharing prey with their babies even up to their 2nd instar.
The abdomen of the female shown is a bit slender and I'll be increasing the feeding for the group to get them primed for breeding. Hopefully we'll be seeing eggs produced in the near future - more updates to follow!
#ontarioinvertfarm #Monocentropusbalfouri #bluebaboontarantula #captivebreeding #tarantulas #invertebratesofinstagram #socotraislandbluebaboon #balfouri
A short feeding video of one of the OIF's young Chaco Golden-knee tarantulas. Even as slings these guys are super curious and bold - once the lid comes off their container they wander right out to investigate, rather than hide. Also, very docile and slow moving even at this size.
I'm really enjoying working with this species and look forward to seeing their beautiful golden highlights once they get a little larger.
#ontarioinvertfarm #invertebratesofinstagram #tarantulas #tarantulatuesday #grammastolapulchripes #grammastola #chacogoldenkneetarantula #captivebred #slings #sling
Update: Discoid Growth Trial
Unfortunately, due to moving and then my absence over the past 50 days the roaches in this trial were not kept at optimal temperatures. However, they were all subjected to the same conditions, so while failing to reach adulthood, the results still stand.
WINNER: REDLANDS
It wasn't even close. As you can see from the video the Redlands made it to their final instar while the Banana Bay and York are one molt behind.
I plan to redo this trial, maintaining all specimens at preferred temperature, although I don't expect the results to differ significantly. In addition, I will be setting up a fertility trial, seeing how many nymphs are produced and at what speed for the three varieties I work with.
#ontarioinvertfarm #discoidroaches #redlands #bananabay #york #feederroaches #livefeeders #captivebred
An update for the Blue Baboon tarantulas at the OIF. This species has quickly become a favorite of mine and I always enjoy watching them interact with each other. I have never once observed aggression between them and even with space to spread out they seem to prefer sharing the same burrow. This is a very unique and fascinating species - I can't wait to get my colony breeding and see it get bigger!
#ontarioinvertfarm #balfouri #bluebaboontarantula #communaltarantula #spidersofinstagram
Just a short video of a katydid I found on a walk.
A lot of people think of Orthoptera order of insects (crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids) as largely herbivorous, but in fact many are highly omnivorous and love high protein snacks.
#katydid #ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #wildinsectlife #wildinsect #orthoptera
EVERYTHING BUT CRICKETS! The Ontario Invert Farm is Canada's top pick for alt feeders and invert pets
