# springtails and woodlice some available now.



## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

hello all,
a little info on the large springtail`s i`m working w/. They are as prolific as any other springtails ive worked w/. they hatch out the size of a common springtail and grow to 2 X the size of a hydei. 15 - 20 adults will produce tons of offspring within weeks. they are active here from 40 - 80f (they`ll produce well w/out needing 80f temps tropical springs need to produce well). ever have problems w/ crickets and ff`s drowning in viv water features? springtails dont drown. they represent all the sizes of edible crix and ff`s, are as prolific as either, can handle more of a temperature swing, dont drown, congregate like mad on cork left in the culture which makes them easy to tap into a tub, transfer to a cup and dust and they breed in the tank. i have been feeding them to my pumilio(basti froglets), a group of green and blacks and some oyapoks alanis and sur cobalts for over 2 weeks w/ no ill effects. 
i will be opening a list for people interested in these springtails. i have limited room for opening up to a new project so i have got these guys to 2 people locally to start producing feeder cultures. in the meantime i will still collect starter cultures of w/c bugs. it takes a while to collect out 30-40 of these guys and seperate them from other crawlies and put them into a small solo cup for shipping. temps have really gone up the last week or so and i wont be able to ship to the whole u.s. cultures are $20ea to start. i`m sorry but i can not spend all my time collecting bugs w/ so much else to do before winter. they will become established soon and the price will drop. please only give me you name and address if you are interested in spending the $20(ups 2 day) to $40 (overnite) to have them shipped. again i`m sorry for the price but this is comparable to new isopod cultures. i will have a dozen plus cultures started producing for the upcoming chicago show and should have more for white plains. priority will be on a "who i can ship to when according to temps" basis. i still have to get some out to the atalanta botanical gardens and a couple breeders but should be able to start shipping them after the 18th.
next are the pygmy woodlice(trichoniscus pusillus). these have become established in a couple of my tanks if i dont put too many frogs in them. these seem to be soft bodied woodlice which are smaller than the dwarf white woodlice and are primary(top) leaf litter dwellers. they dont really burrow into the substrate like other woodlice and are so small a half dozen fit on 1 coco chip. i think this is why they remain in small #`s in the tank if there are frogs in it. they are easily consumed if they dont go into the substrate. i do have a couple anks set aside for these critters and should be able to supply a limited amount of starter cultures soon. i dont know how they ship so i will start offering them at the shows first.
next, i believe, is the common rough woodlouse(porcelio scaber). this is a much bigger woodlouse. starter cultures of 20 adults $15 plus shipping.
next the common striped woodlouse(philoscia muscorum). i may be wrong on this one. ive never seen any of these bigger than a dwarf white woodlice but they are in most of my tanks. they are very slow moving. they are grey w/ 2 white stripes running down the back. 20/$20 
next is platyarthrus hoffmannseggi the ant woodlouse. these dont culture great but are an addition to the tank. i find them in my termite culture in low #`s and i`m trying to find a way to culture them. extremely slow moving and extremely small. about the size of a pygmy woodlouse. 
more types to come...
(716)898-8529 or email


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

hello all,
i`ve witnessed some great production on the black springtails. just 2 dozen adults or less will produce a teaming culture in weeks. the hatchlings are the size of common springtails and take a while to grow. it`s been over 3 weeks, i think, and there are some starting to approach half size. pics will be posted on my website on the picture page to show size relative to a melonagaster. so far the black springtail has produced well on yeast. i added romaine lettuce to the mix and the larger entomobrya species has taken a shine to it. hopefully production will increase w/ them soon. first cultures are going out this week. still havent heard from too many insect breeders interested in working w/ these guys. i`ll be sending them out all summer. anyone interested in selling a new feeder insect contact me. they should prove to be a great, easy to breed addition to the list of foods for these guys. if they stay small for a long time and max out bigger than a hydei and culture well in the tanks we should have an incredible new food source.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

oh, i forgot. clubs too. wherever theres a group meeting of a half dozen froggers w/ pretty good collections. dont want to split hairs but i also dont want to be sending to 2 people w/ 2 auratus each and only collecting shipping fees. sorry. i`ll take groups on a list and do what i can w/ largest # of members in an area getting top priority.


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

This sounds awesome! I hope these cultures get established, large springtails sounds great.


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## tarbo96 (Jan 12, 2006)

*I concur...*

We have a descent number of darters in the florida area, if someone is already working with feeders this would be a good area.



Bill


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

Derek from fly culture lives in Orlando, maybe he'd be interested.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

edit and update


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## geckohut (Mar 1, 2004)

*Cultures*

I emailed....


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