Who here is in Florida? It would be awesome to go bug-hunting with some of you and/or to know all the best hunting spots! I'm in Palm Bay, just east of Orlando. I'll be here for a little while ;)

Also, I'm curious what the best method is for preserving specimens? I'd love to be able to have a collection of insects without them breaking apart or losing their colors over time. I'd also like to use parts for art and jewelery. Specifically, I'd like to preserve moths, beetles, cockroaches and dragonflies and their wings.

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I've been speaking to the Professor of Entomology at the University of Florida, and apparently I don't need a permit to have insects here unless they are agricultural or human pests. And most of the pest species I've captured were caught IN Florida, such as the skunk roaches, Australian, American, etc! I need to make absolutely sure, but I don't think I own a single invertebrate that is actually an invasive species, meaning I won't have to give away any pets when I move to Florida this April. At least it's almost 90% sure I will be!

I also inquired about the University and he said this: "The University of Florida is a highly competitive university. Typically, we get 25-30K applicants for fall admission and accept about 6,600 of them. Your ability to be admitted would depend upon your high school grade performance and your SAT score. We do have an extensive number of Florida community colleges where students attend two years, obtain the AA degree and then apply to transfer to the University of Florida. It is at that time you would declare entomology as your major."

My SAT scores were relatively high, from what I remember... oddly, my math skills were higher than anything else; higher than 90-some percent of the country. But I still need to get a hold of them and make sure. To be some form of a scientist is my dream and always has been... I'm nearly 26 years old... it's now or never. I can't keep being so terrified of failure. I may waste years in college only to fail, but at least I would know that I tried... and as an entomologist, I'd be able not only to teach people about insects, but I would also be able to keep any insects I wanted and could educate people using them.

Would anyone happen to have more specific information regarding pet invert restrictions in Florida? I do own some pest species, but they were caught -IN- Florida from the last time I lived there, sooo... :P

Tags: Florida Entomology School College Permits

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Seems like myself and others submitting photos are getting fewer and fewer views/comments than ever before. I was really hoping that this site would blossom and activity would skyrocket as it grew into a larger community. I had really high hopes that it would be more LIKE a community, where people talk and keep social with others who share their interest, photos, words and art. What happened?

In other news, my g. portentosa gave birth to 46 babies a few days ago, and just yesterday, my g. oblongonata gave birth to almost as many. I now have about 140 hissing cockroaches alone :) And about 50+ of all the other 15 species, of which are also blossoming forth and molting more than I've ever seen them before... new Harlequins, g. lurida and goldies popping up left and right!

Anyone else out there having a sudden baby explosion? Is it the time of year, or what? I don't think the temperature in the house has changed, or anything else that might stimulate such sudden activity.

I also had a question: In all my cockroach books and the entomology sites I'm on, I can't seem to find information about the fluid that comes out of the mother roach after birthing her young. I just posted a photo of the occurance to the gallery and it should still be on the first page or two. The baby hissers devoured the fluid as soon as they were born and the air in their abdomen was released from pushing through the embryonic sac.

Tags: Hissing Cockroaches Birth Babies IG InsectGeeks Community

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Some random posts from my informative Twitter, found HERE:

- Cockroach ears, called subgenual organs, are located in the knee joints.
- A cockroach breaks wind every 15 minutes - it also continues to release methane for 18 hours after death.
- Male roaches have 3 talon-like genital hooks, the longest of which is designed to clamp onto the female's abdominal tip during mating.
- Attaphila fungicola is a 3/32" long roach which lives in the nests of leaf-cutting ants & feeds on the fungi that the ants cultivate.
- Mastotermes darwiniensis is thought to be the descendant of the wood roach. It exhibits more roach-like traits than any other termite.
- In ancient Greece, physicians routinely mixed cockroach entrails with oil & roses, stuffing the goop into patients' infected ear canals.

As always, correct me if I'm wrong! I've taken most of these facts from respected sources, but some are just from the internet or from books that may be unreliable. You must Follow the Twitter account to read more - I update at least once a week, so this is a very small fraction of the estimated 50 facts so far since May 28th. :)

I try to make sure most of the facts are obscure enough to keep even the biggest proclaimed roach gurus intrigued. This isn't a simple task,  so if you have any roach facts to add, feel free to suggest! I still have mounds of notebooks crammed with roach facts I've accumulated throughout the years, however, so this is something I plan to keep up for a long time to come even without help.

Tags: Cockroach Facts Roach Twitter Blattaphile Trivia

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Had my name changed from Crittergirl to CockroachMonster. I figured it best to use the same username on all sites. I get myself confused when I log in to other boards and sites :P Plus this way, it'll be easier for people to know who I am.

I got a new job at Pet Supplies Plus. I start Monday! I'm very excited, the people who work there seem very awesome and friendly and they goof around with each other and the customers, which is nice - usually, with more outgoing and silly co-workers, there is less drama and backstabbing than with workers who have a bug up their arse, so to speak. The main problem I had with jobs in the past was lying, dramatic co-workers. So I'm hoping all goes well!

I also got to finally see District 9. I am in love with the prawns, they're so adorable, sweet and intelligent. Obviously not scientifically accurate, but they are anthropomorphic insects from another planet where technology and science would probably be very different from Earth, so it didn't bother me that much. I loved their little feelers and the second set of arms that folded into their stomach :)

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Oriental - blatta orientalis
Australian - periplaneta australasiae
Skunk - eurycotis floridana

I AM WILLING TO PRACTICALLY GIVE THESE AWAY. These are for TRADE ONLY. I'm not sure how to make a trade listing, so I'm writing a blog instead.

I would like to thin out my collection of these, as I keep them in glass containers for display and their numbers are getting a bit out of hand for the small colonies I would like to keep them at.

They are all relatively small species. They make decent feeders, are very active and prolific breeders, however they also are all 3 expert climbers.

I'd be happy to practically GIVE them away by trading large amounts of them for small amounts of other roaches I am looking for. I have at least 30 of each species for trade, and would happily trade, for example, 30-50 of them for only 5 of another species - any amount that I could start a colony with. Make me an offer - it's very unlikely I'll refuse it! I just want rid of the bulk of these, but I don't want to kill them.

As for what I'm looking for, the list is VERY long. Just look on my profile under the wanted section! Thanks!

Tags: Cockroach Roach Trade Wanted

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Probably a silly question, but I seem to notice both versions of the name for the larger hissing cockroaches equally online. It's bugging me, which one is the "proper" term. I'm thinking it's the longer version and that people have just shortened it, but I can't be sure.

Also posted up a new video on YouTube of these guys hissing. Closeup of the spiracles as they move and push out air. -Click Me!-

And speaking of roaches... I really would love someone to "talk bug" with. I've made a few friends through IG but I'd love to get to know more of you. One can never have too many buggy friends! I'm making a new AIM screenname soon, message me if you want it. I'd just list it here but it's ~Top Secret~

And for more randomness: Anyone out there share my fetish for vintage biology/entomology books? I know many of them are no longer accurate, but there's something about the wording/illustrations/smell of the books that make them so much more fun and endearing to read than most of the newer ones. Anyone have any suggestions for good entomology books, whether vintage or not? Particularly those involving ethnoentomology or general studies and info of/on the cockroach. Or hell just stories about roaches, I normally am not at all into reading fiction but I figure if it's about bugs it might keep my interest :P Something like The Metamorphosis, perhaps.

Tags: Cockroaches Cockroach Question Latin Name Hissing Hissers Oblongata Oblongo

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I really must find out why this happens. I MUST. The curiosity is killing me!!! Help? -CLICK HERE-

Also: Once more, I'm pimping my educational Twitter page. It's basically just various trivia about roaches with the occasional fun randomness mixed in. If you can think of any information to contribute, please let me know! :D -CLICK HERE-

Tags: Cockroach Roach Cockroaches Bug Insect Question Help Video Vibrating Shakin

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...for keeping cockroaches.

LOL @ YouTube. That is all. :)

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