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I went to the local sporting goods store that sells live bait, and they had no wax worms. The guys with whom I spoke said there is shortage, because wax worms are actually the larval stage of honey bees - and there's a shortage of honey bees in this country.

Anyone else buy wax worms often and now have difficulty finding them? My little box likes those better than anything else. (When I first got "him", "he" ate every day, and every day it was an earthworm. Now "he" isn't interested in earthworms, and eats every other day or every third day.)

"I went to the local sporting goods store that sells live bait, and they had no wax worms. The guys with whom I spoke said there is shortage, because wax worms are actually the larval stage of honey bees - and there's a shortage of honey bees in this country. "
Wax worms are not honey bee larva, they a type of moth. Have you tried a different supplier online?

Wax worms most certainly are NOT larval stage honeybees (see link). That's a very, er, creative excuse.

I haven't heard of any such 'shortage'...probably the store's regular supplier ran out or something.

Try to expand the menu for your little guy, so that any such 'shortage' won't present a problem in the future. If you have a yard, or access to an open area where pesticides aren't used, you might try collecting an assortment of different creepy-crawlies and see what your little one will eat.

Link

in NJ i can readily get them pretty easily

I did occur to me that your bait shop may have been getting their wax worms from someone who ordinarily harvests them from honeybee hives, and that *that* source (a beekeeper?) may in turn be experiencing a hive collapse or something of that nature.

"I did occur to me that your bait shop may have been getting their wax worms from someone who ordinarily harvests them from honeybee hives, and that *that* source (a beekeeper?) may in turn be experiencing a hive collapse or something of that nature."

You can harvest wax moth larvae from bee hives?

BTW, I called the same store today, and they just got some more in.

What sort of "creepy-crawlies" can my little box handle? Are you suggesting millipedes and centipedes? slug? Are slugs those things that look like leaches that live under rocks?

Slugs, small snails, centipedes, millipedes, grubs, pill bugs, small crickets....any small creature would potentially be food for a hatchling...

Read the link in my other post for more info on where wax worms can be found...

so sounds like waxworms wre a good alternative food source for hatchlings???? I am really have difficulty finding small redworms so I am looking for alternatives. Slugs seemed to be ok, they were not real enthusiastic about the pill bugs. I have an abundance of large carpenter Ants, think I might try those if I can remove mandibles. Any thoughts or more suggestions on different foods would be appreciated.

JOE

"Slugs, small snails, centipedes, millipedes, grubs, pill bugs, small crickets....any small creature would potentially be food for a hatchling...

"Read the link in my other post for more info on where wax worms can be found..."

The store again has wax worms.

I dug through the pile of bricks in my dad's back yard today. Lots of invertebrates squirmed away - I wasn't fast enough for a lot of them. Then I started getting more used to it, and I got a few centipedes (I think that's what they were) and.... other stuff I don't know the name of.

I don't we have terrestrial snails here in Michigan.

And slugs DO look a little like a fat leech?

fed my little guys some very small slugs this AM and they seemed to enjoy. The adults like them very much too.

Joe