CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION A.

Background The house cricket (Gryllus mitratus) is a staple and nutritious food for many herp species. Obtaining a reliable supply of these insects can be a bother, especially if one requires a constant supply of newly hatched 'pinhead' crickets, to say nothing of the costs of feeding a large collection with pet-shop-bought crickets. The following article outlines a method for cricket raising which has been developed over the past two years in order to provide a collection of frogs (Mantellas, Discophus, and Dendrobates) with a constant supply of small and large crickets. There are several things to consider before you decide to raise crickets: The crickets will make a lot of noise. You must have an area to keep them where this is not a problem. Escapes will be inevitable! Eventually you might find yourself falling asleep (or not falling asleep) to the trill of a cricket courting in the warmth beneath an appliance in your room. If you live in an apartment your neighbors may find new, unwanted, tenants in the hallways. Commercial insecticide pellets such as those used to kill earwigs can be placed in the room with your cricket colony to prevent escapees from taking over the house. Crickets have a definite odor, but if the colony is well
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maintained and kept clean, most people do not find it offensive. A major source of odor is the cotton wool in the water dishes which can quickly collect droppings so it must be kept clean. In the method described here, the main colony is kept dry (no damp substrate) which reduces the smell considerably. B. Problems 1. What kinds of crickets can be produced ? 2. What is the first step in cricket production ? 3. How many crickets are stocked in container ? 4. How fast do crickets grow ? 5. What food should be provided ? 6. Is predation and disease are problems ? C. Purposes 1. To determine kinds of crickets can be breeded and rised. 2. To know the materials in crickets productions. 3. To find out amount of crickets should be stocked in container. 4. To know the development of crickets. 5. To explore kinds of foods should be prepared. 6. To prevent and solving problems rising crickets.

CHAPTER II THEORY A. Cricket Crickets including nocturnal animals that generally live in the land of rice fields, plantations, or in the yard and in other sheltered places such as under rocks or chunks of soil, under rocks, under a pile of rubble material or branches and dried leaves and in the soil perforated. Crickets activity is usually done at night is eating activities, scraping, and mating. Male crickets can issue a distinctive sound that comes out of the wings were vibrating. At the beginning of the rainy season, the crickets sounded everywhere. The sound of crickets is really a long-distance message for fellow crickets. They put out different sounds for different occasions. 1. Characteristics Crickets show the typical insect attributes. They have three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. The head is equipped with eyes and antennae for sensing the environment and a mouth. Two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs are attached to the thorax. The abdomen contains the reproductive organs and most of the digestive system. A row of small holes on the thorax and abdomen called spiracles are openings to the respiratory system. All crickets have two projections about one-half the length of the body extending rearward from the abdomen. These are called cerci (singular circus) and are used to

detect vibrations. Females have a third, longer projection called the ovipositor between the cerci. 2. Reproductions After mating the female pushes her ovipositor into the soil and releases a single egg: this process may be repeated over 2000 times in her brief lifetime. Crickets exhibit gradual (incomplete) metamorphisis. Each egg hatches into a tiny nymph, which only superficially resembles an adult in appearance. The nymph molts several times, each time becoming more like an adult in appearance. With the final molt, the cricket becomes fully developed and sexually mature. The entire life cycle requires from two to four months depending on the temperature. Warmer temperatures speed the process. Most adult crickets do not survive the winter, so the size of the summertime population is largely a function of the eggs that over-wintered in the soil. The population reaches its peak in autumn as more and more crickets hatch. Since, the length of the average life cycle is temperature dependent, the higher the average summer temperature, the larger the cricket population.

B. Crickets Container In nature, crickets are preyed on by many animals, including birds, toads, and insect-eating snakes. Human beings have also learned to use crickets for a variety of purposes. In China and Japan, crickets are sometimes kept as house pets for the pleasure of hearing their song. They are excellent fish bait and pet food for lizards and larger aquarium fish.

Crickets are also widely used in schools to study ecology, animal behavior, physiology and entomology. House crickets are usually used for these purposes, as they are easier to raise in captivity than field crickets. One of the main problems encountered with most descriptions of cricket breeding is that the eggs hatch in the same container as the adult breeding colony, usually in a substrate placed on the bottom of the breeding enclosure. This requires one to sort the crickets before feeding to various sized animals. The breeding substrate also quickly becomes littered with dead crickets and droppings. It is also difficult to keep moist if egg cartons or other hiding material is placed on top of it.

CHAPTER III DISCUSSION A. How to Obtain Crickets Live crickets can either be collected from their environment or purchased from a local fish bait dealer or pet shop. Or they can be ordered from a biological supply company. There are more than 100 species of crickets are found in Indonesia. Types are widely cultivated today is Gryllus mitratus and Gryllus testaclus, to feed the fish and birds. Both of these species can be distinguished from the shape of her body, where its Gryllus mitratus ovipositor shorter besides Gryllus mitratus have a white line on the edge of the wing backs, and quiet performance. Within a species there must distinguish females and males can be seen from the example that if the sex seems to kind of animals big if for small animals such as crickets crickets is difficult to distinguish male and female crickets. Or with a view from the look to the experts who already know or to the characteristics of an animal that has a person to maintain and it is also very difficult to distinguish between male and female crickets. The physical characteristics of male and female crickets that have grown are as follows: Male crickets Has a short body and large. Having a rough wing backs. Always chirping sound.
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The surface of wings or backs rough and bumpy. Do not have the ovipositor in the tail.

Female crickets Has a slender body and long. Has a smooth and shiny wing backs. Has a stiff black ovipositor.

B. How to Build Crickets Container The method described here provides a removable egg-laying container, separating the eggs and adults, thereby raising yields and providing crickets of various sizes. Depending on the number of crickets desired the system can be set up in the corner of a room or the bottom of a closet - space is not a major consideration. The cost to establish a basic system is about Rp 80.000 plus the cost of the initial. Breeding colony of crickets. To start such a colony at least 20-50 crickets are required, and the colony should not be used for feeding until well established and your first babies are adult-sized. If you plan to use some of the crickets for feeding, a batch of 100-1000 can be purchased quite inexpensively from a cricket supplier. The materials required for a basic setup are as follows: 1. Main Container (cage)

Materials and equipment : Plywood, Small rafters wood / wood lath, Small spikes, Wood Glue, Big black duct tape (size 44 mm), Scissors and saws, Small spikes. Other materials are also prepared, such as brushes, wire netting, ha-lus mud to smear the walls of the box, dried leaves for hiding crickets, like leaves Klaras (dry banana leaves) or dried teak leaves. Making main cage a. Cut the plywood and timber in accordance with predetermined yanag size, then put together with nails so that it becomes a form open beams on one of its parts with a length of 120 cm, width 60 cm and height 30 cm. b. After the beams so, on every corner that has closed the gap with wood glue smeared. This is because newly hatched chicks crickets have a very small size so it will not come out. c. In order jankrik do not jump out of the open side of the beam, on the outskirts of cage cover it with duct tape was to avoid predators. d. If the cage has been formed in accordance with the planning drawings, the inside of the cage should be covered with clay / red soil. Gap - a gap that was covered with clay / red soil (lepung) with the aim that the ants can not enter. In addition, the top of the wall in order to give the duct tape slippery.

e. Once the box is finished, the upper lip seal with box lakband crickets so kids can not propagate out. Good mud from the rice fields washed first. Then rub the walls of the box with fine mud that has been provided with a brush, so evenly, this layer does not need to be so thick that no absolute loss.

Crickets Container

2. Nesting box/plate Plastic box or plate fill with Metal Sand (pure smooth & black).

Nesting Plate

C. Caring for Crickets 1. Housing To keep crickets a few days, place 1 to 2 inches of sand or soil in a jar with a ventilated cover. Add a dry leaf or a crumpled paper towel and the enclosure is complete. The soil will provide a medium in which the cricket can dig, and the leaf will give it a surface on which it can climb and a place to hide. Crickets will eat a variety of foods, but a slice of apple, carrot, potato or celery or a piece of lettuce is a good-short term food, as it

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will also provide the crickets with the moisture they need. The food should be replaced every day or two so it will not decay or mold. Assuming that they are given sufficient food and an appropriate environment, crickets can go unattended over weekends. Cricket will survive at room temperature, but they will be considerably more active and reproduce better at temperatures 80-85 F is about right. A light bulb in the cage is a good heat source. Keep the cage clean. Remove accumulated droppings, any dead crickets and uneaten food. And, remember to keep the colony dry.

2. Breeding Colony A breeding colony of crickets can be kept in much the same way, except that a larger container is needed and two seemingly inconsistent requirements have to be met. First, the environment must be kept dry to prevent disease. And, second the crickets must have moist soil or sand in which to lay their eggs. Meeting these two requirements is the real secret of raising crickets. A standard aquarium is an excellent container for housing a breeding colony. The crickets cannot climb the smooth glass walls and the sides are tall enough to prevent them from jumping out-but a screen is recommended. Place 1-2 inches of dry sand or soil in the aquarium. Also, add a shallow dish of moist sand or soil (a plastic margarine tub is perfect) for egg laying. Crumpled paper towels will provide a hiding place and a surface for climbing, but empty egg cartons with a few

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holes punched in them are even better. If the cartons are put into the aquarium open side down, the crickets will climb inside and out. 3. Crickets nesting stage Crickets will consume almost anything including, each other if they run out of food. Dry dog food is a well-balanced diet and is easy to provide, but crickets can also be well nourished on oatmeal, cornflakes, bran or any other grain cereal. Any dry food however should be supplemented occasionally with leafy or succulent vegetables. Water should be available continuously, but crickets will fall into an open container and drown. The best way to provide water is to invert a small jar or vial of water in a shallow dish with a few thicknesses of paper towel between the jar and the dish. The crickets will be able to get their water from the moist towels. A small colony of 20-50 females can lay several eggs each day, and these can be collected in a shallow dish of moist sand or soil (a plastic margarine tub is perfect). The dish should be slightly recessed in the sand so the crickets can climb in. Adult crickets will eat some of the eggs (and will also cannibalize newly hatched young), so the dish should be removed after a few days and replaced with a fresh one if more eggs are to be collected. Put the dish with the eggs in another escape proof container (a small aquarium or plastic shoebox) for incubation and hatching. It is essential that the eggs not dehydrate. This can be prevented by lightly sprinkling the soil with water as needed to keep it slightly moist. The eggs will hatch in three to four

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weeks depending on the temperature. (Cooler temperatures will prolong the hatching time). The tiny nymphs will come to the surface of the soil and out of the dish. At this time they can be fed, watered and cared for just as the adults are. After about three weeks they can be kept with the adults with less risk of their being eaten. 4. Method of hatching crickets a. Direct hatchery (natural) Media containing egg laying places we take from captivity and then we put in a box or plastic tub for hatching, do not forget the humidity be maintained. b. Hatching with a cloth (tissue media) Take a tray or plate, then Place the sheet of cloth on it or moist wipes with 2cm thickness. Then sprinkle on it cicada eggs 1 tablespoon and flatten, then fold the cloth or napkin folds 2 times. At the top of the crease can be covered with damp newspaper. Then insert tray containing eggs into the hatchery. Humidity is maintained, if it is too dry hatching media sprayed with water. Spraying is done in the morning and afternoon. After approximately 7 to 10 days the eggs will hatch and the young crickets crickets will come out of the crease. c. Hatching with sand media The main ingredients needed are fine and clean sand., Obtained by sieving or filtering, before the sand must be washed first. In addition to ready your sand tray or container, for its size

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adjusted to the hatchery. Sprinkle evenly sand into trays denngan 2 cm thickness. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cicada eggs evenly over the sand, after it Snow sand above a thin layer origin can already be cover the eggs so it does not appear. Then insert tray that already contains eggs crickets into place hatching. To maintain moisture spray once every day. After approximately 7 to 10 days the eggs will hatch and the young crickets crickets will come out of the crease.

5. Incubation of the Eggskets Crickets eggs from out of the host body until hatching takes 12 days to 20 days. There are several stages after the eggs hatch out of the stem to which: a. At the age of 1 to 5 eggs a day, young egg color is clear yellow. b. At the age of 6 to 10 days the eggs, egg yolk color teen ahead of older adults. c. At the age of 11 until the eggs hatch, the old egg yolk blackish color. d. At later ages the eggs are ready to hatch. e. Child care and maintenance phase of crickets 6. Keep the humidity hatching box You should not use water spray, because if there are water droplets in the room can trap babies crickets so it can not move and eventually die. For that use cotton or soft cloth, dip it in water then diperasns bit,

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put on a mat and try not to leak water. Due to water seepage can trap babies crickets that die. 7. Rearing the Babies (Nymph) At the age of 0 to 2 days the babies eat crickets not require, usually still clustered at the hatchery and eat the remains of eggshells. Since this age should hatcheries already given a dry leaf sebagain hiding place, but just a little. At the age of 2 to 5 days crickets baby's body has begun to grow and already need to eat and drink. Good feed at this age is still young vegetables. May also be fed with artificial plants are sold in packaged form. At this age you should begin to dry leaves added as a hiding place. In the next age is 15 to 30 days, the kids have started to dilate crickets. At this age children eat a lot of crickets and greedy, it's better to start plus food. In addition to natural foods can also be factory-made food.

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CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION A. Conclusions 1. Materials Rising Crickets are container made from wood, plastic plates, metal sand, dry leaves, clay, food, crickets (male & females). 2. After 4-7 days the nesting material will be positively packed with oblate white eggs positioned vertically about 1-2" below the soil surface. 3. Once the eggs have all hatched, the nesting dish is removed, the nesting material is discarded and the container recycled. Recycling the nesting material can cause problems with mold and small, mitelike insects infesting it. B. Acknowledgments Crickets babies should be put in place cardboard or cloth is not so hot so as not to die. Babies should be fed crickets food. Breeding crickets should use natural or derived from rice, so that longer survival. C. Analysis of funds Basic Production Cost - 20 Grown Crickets @50 - Container @10.000/m - Concentrat (foods) 1 ons - Filter - Box/plate for hatching eggs
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Rp 1000 Rp 40.000 Rp 1000 Rp 5000 Rp 3000 Rp 50.000

+

REFERENCES

Hallet, Ian. 1995. Breeding and Raising the House Cricket. http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/crickets.html . (has been accessed at 7th June 2013) Soenanto, Hardi, 1999. Kiat sukses beternak Jangkrik. Aneka Ilmu: Semarang. Amy K, Jones. 2013. How to Raise Your Own Crickets. http://www.ehow.com/how_3442_raise-crickets-fish.html. (has been accessed at 7th June 2013)

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