Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in MD and own leopard geckoes. Ive heard that we're getting a locust invasion this summer, a native food. Anybody know how these stack up size and nutrition wise against silkworms, waxworms, crickets? How big is too big and how many is too many?

It is generation X... and they are cicadas, not locusts.

If you have a large enough reptile, then yes, you can use them as a feeder. You'd also have to catch them when they first come out of their shells... then they'd be softer. But, I think they are too big and too hard for most reptiles.

I plan on making some meals with them myself... I heard they are pretty good.

Guess I should also add about what too large is to a leo. You shouldn't feed a leo anything wider than the width of its head. But also no longer than the length of the head either. Good luck.

I have a veiled chameleon, so i doubt size is an issue, but do you have any thoughts on how to catch a large number of cicadas? my current plan is to stand outside with a butterfly net or something equally as ridiculous. I hear you can just dig in the ground and find the larvae, but my yard seem to be mostly red clay. i'm in N. VA.

thanks

I thought I might try digging up some larvae myself. My question is, how do I know what I've got is a cicada? Any good pics of 'em online? Bug sites? Also need to know when to dig.

Okay. Well, the best way to catch Cicadas is by getting up in the morning extra early. Before sun-up. They can be found crawling from the ground up into the trees around this time. Best get a flashlight to see them. And if you catch them before they come out of the shells, even better. But, the only cicadas I'd feed would be the ones fresh out of the shell since they will be soft-bodied.

How you can tell if you have a cicada:

Cicadas are a thumb-sized insect with big compound eyes and front legs similar to a praying mantis. When they emerge from the ground, they are mud-brown in color. But, when they come out, sometimes they range from light green and black, to brown and black. Some have red eyes, some have darker eyes. If you look under their heads, you will see a long rod-shaped object. That is how they feed on trees.

They are rather slow walking animals, and very clumsy fliers. If you use a butterfly net, good luck sneaking up on them. They are very good at catching movement and fly instantly. But, it can be done. Good luck hunting these buggers down. Shouldn't be much of a problem though... there are going to be thousands and thousands... Heh.

Ah, and dig early in the morning if you are going to... when the soil is around 65 degrees. They start coming out then.

thanks