# lobster roach infestation?



## vjf000 (Jun 14, 2008)

Hi, I have been breeding lobster roaches for over a year now and I feed the small ones to my terribilis. I found one on second floor today and I keep the frogs and roaches in basement. They were said to not be capable of infesting a house due to their high temperature requirements for breeding and I live in Rochester, New York. Does anyone have experience with this? Maybe one just hitched a ride upstairs on my shoes or clothes, I hope. I am getting rid of the whole colony if anyone else living in NE has had problems with these.
Thanks.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

They've been introduced and established to the Czech Republic (if I understood the country code correctly)... http://www.pensoft.net/J_FILES/2/articles/633/68-G-1-layout.pdf 

Ed


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

Im sure your upcoming winter will take care of your problem..(I hope)!!!!


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

I briefly had a colony, but decided to get rid of them after I saw how well they bred in general conditions in my basement (making me think they could easily infest my home)

PS I'm in PA, so I'm sure your conditions are similar to mine


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## vjf000 (Jun 14, 2008)

I checked the sump pump basin in the basement near the breeding tank and found about 10 living underneath the cover. No young but I think they can live quite awhile without food before they die. Its making me a more than a little nervous. I think I might need to stick with hydei ffs instead.


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

B. dubia all the way!


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

stevenhman said:


> B. dubia all the way!


I used to have a colony of dubia and hissers, in addition to the lobsters. And the only ones that ever concerned me were the lobsters. Not to mention, they seem to have a particular stink about them, as well


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## cbreon (Apr 25, 2005)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> I used to have a colony of dubia and hissers, in addition to the lobsters. And the only ones that ever concerned me were the lobsters. Not to mention, they seem to have a particular stink about them, as well


I would imagine that if you have baseboard electric/oil heat that they could defintely live along those and venture out for food, then in the Summer you get a couple weeks of 90 plus days and voila! A nice boom of lobster roaches in you're house...just some thoughts


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

I can attest to the fact that B. dubia can live for quite a while without food or water. I'm not sure if lobsters are non-climbing and non-flying, but I know that dubia are. Mine couldn't climb the sides of their rubbermaid bin, which was very helpful when sifting for nymphs.

I know that now dubia are considered ag. pests here in TN - not sure about NY.


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

stevenhman said:


> I can attest to the fact that B. dubia can live for quite a while without food or water. ***I'm not sure if lobsters are non-climbing and non-flying***, but I know that dubia are. Mine couldn't climb the sides of their rubbermaid bin, which was very helpful when sifting for nymphs.
> 
> I know that now dubia are considered ag. pests here in TN - not sure about NY.


nope, they climb and fly


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

cbreon said:


> I would imagine that if you have baseboard electric/oil heat that they could defintely live along those and venture out for food, then in the Summer you get a couple weeks of 90 plus days and voila! A nice boom of lobster roaches in you're house...just some thoughts


though I imagine the colony wasa bit warmer than the ambient air in my house, just simply due to the numbers packed into one space, they bred perfectly well @ an air temp of 70 degrees


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## vjf000 (Jun 14, 2008)

I re-read your post and it sunk in that they bred fine at 70 degrees. I was under the impression from a ny seller that breeding at lower temps was not possible. I guess that was niave, after all they are roaches and they will probably inherit the earth after everything else dies and they will find a way to breed and live under most conditions. I think the lobster roach colony is history, moving to cold garage soon. I will see how long they continue to live out there.


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

vjf000 said:


> I re-read your post and it sunk in that they bred fine at 70 degrees. I was under the impression from a ny seller that breeding at lower temps was not possible. I guess that was niave, after all they are roaches and they will probably inherit the earth after everything else dies and they will find a way to breed and live under most conditions. I think the lobster roach colony is history, moving to cold garage soon. I will see how long they continue to live out there.


well, as I pointed out, their colony was probably warmer than the ambient air. But the point being, there are plenty of niches in any home that could fill a similar need for them


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## vjf000 (Jun 14, 2008)

I think that is very true.


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