What are these hairy worms?

[Mantis Lady]

I bought yesterday fresh new feeder insects at pet store. and in the evening at home I found weird hairy worms in my crickets box:

I would like to know what these worms are and if the crickets are save to be fed. They are not in the dubia and grasshopper boxes

 

[Darth Mantis]

They look kinda like carpet beetle larva but at the same time they dont...Im not sure what those are but I wouldn't think they would make the crickets unsafe unless they are some kind of parasite but maybe to be safe you could get new crickets or clean them and move them to a different box and see of they pop up again. They may just be something thats living off the cricket food with the crickets but not really interacting with the crickets but idk since idk what those are.

 

[Darth Mantis]

The more I look at them the more they look like carpet beetle larvae to me but Im probably wrong. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

I have read about them that they are a pest, the carpet beetles. They were on the cardboard thingy .I have removed them and haven't seen others, maybe i should eat a lot ot eggs and use that for cricket home.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Carpet beetle larvae looks different. Still wondering what my worms (larvae of something?) are.

 

[Darth Mantis]

LoL well that was my best guess.

 

[Darth Mantis]

Are there more than one kind of Carpet beetle or some similar pest When I google them some things that look similar to your worms like this one

 

[Darth Mantis]

 

[Darth Mantis]

or this

Maybe you could put some of the worms in a separate container with some food and see what they turn into but getting some new crickets might be the safest thing to do but I dont think they pose a threat to your pets but then again they may not be clean.

 

[River Dane]

Based on a quick Google search, they look like they could be larder beetle larvae.

Both the larvae and adults feed on items such as fur, hair, hides, feathers, and occasionally stored products such as dried fish, pet food and cheese. In the house, however, the most likely source is dead insects or other animals (boxelder bugs, attic flies, mice, etc.) that have accumulated inside walls or attics.

I don’t have much experience with these guys, but that’s my best guess. I think they’re capable of inflicting bites and can contaminate human food. I don’t know how that applies to mantids, but I would also advise you to get new feeders. Just in case.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Maybe you could put some of the worms in a separate container with some food and see what they turn into but getting some new crickets might be the safest thing to do

but I would also advise you to get new feeders

I  dont think i will put engery in raising those larvae if they are a carpet beetle or simulair beetles. I won't give my mantids any of these crickets I have now. I will put the box in the freezer to euthanize them with the beetle larvae. I don't trust it and I don't want to to risk my mantids lives.

 

[Darth Mantis]

Thats probably what I would do to. Its not worth the risk just in the off chance that they are carrying something harmful that they could give to your mantis

 

[Orin]

Dermestes larvae are good food for lizards or assassins but they might be dangerous for a mantis if not eaten right away.

 

[danl82]

They are a beetle, (not 100% sure on species) had some in a recent tub of feeders myself. Gave a couple of adult beetles to my bigger mantids and they ate the lot. Was noisy though, could hear them crunching the elytra. But I would'nt have risked the larvae, not sure if the hairs are simply an awkward defence or something more sinister.

 

[Mantis Lady]

I euthanized the  crickets and the worms. I didn't trust it anymore. I don't want to risk my mantids lives. I will get a new box at end of the week. I will be out of grasshoppers too by then.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Dermestes larvae are good food for lizards or assassins but they might be dangerous for a mantis if not eaten right away.

Looks like your comment fell on deaf ears Orin.  They still don’t know that they’re Dermestids intentionally added to the cricket culture.