Little black bugs in dubias?

[MrSpectrum]

I'm working on my 2nd pkg of 100 small dubias in 2 weeks. I've recently noticed some very small hard black bugs in with the dubias. They don't seem to fly--yet. I've been picking them out & crushing as discovered, but does anyone know what they are? I can't tell that they're doing any harm but they're so small, I'm not sure I could even photograph them.

TIA

 

[Claudiusx]

It's most likely some type of cleaner crew that the breeder uses in his/her colonies.
Though I typically don't hear of small black bugs that are too hard to photograph, they are usually worm/larva like for cleanup crew bugs, or the beetles of those larva.

You are fine to pick them out and crush them since you obviously don't need a cleaner crew for small quantities that you are feeding off like that

They wouldn't be harmful, but the simple assumption that they are the cleaner crew, means they probably wouldn't be the best "feeder insect" to give to your little dude. :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[MrSpectrum]

Maybe. I didn't notice any of them in the first tub, and then I did a stupid thing--I sprayed a spritz of water in the 2nd tub to provide a tad more moisture. They appeared sometime after that. I've been putting pieces of carrot in regularly,but it still seemed dry as the mid-Sahara, so stupidity momentarily overtook me. It's still a bit damp, but no mold/musty smell or other negative results.