Mutant dubia?

[Honeybadger]

I hope this is the right place. I cleaned out my dubia bin today and found this weird leggy beetle that had the exact markings of a dubia and appeared to even have an egg sack hanging off it's backside. I heard they could have colour mutations, but this looks so different from the other roaches.

 

[PatsyB]

That is a NOPE bug LOL! It looks more like a cricket than a dubia. Maybe you have a cricket, dubia hybrid LOL!

 

[Hdrydr31]

nope that's not either and I wouldn't feed it not knowing what it is..

 

[Honeybadger]

I am not planning to feed it, don't worry. It almost looked like a superworm beetle with the classical dubias markings and head. But here have not been anything but dubias and waxworms in my house for months.

 

[BeardedHippy]

I found a few small black beetles in with my dubias. I contacted my supplier, worried that her colony might be contaminated and she assured me that they were just 'cleaners' and that they occasionaly get into the tubes when counting them out, as well as some tiny worms that are the larvae of the beetle. They are supposedly harmless, but I still remove them when I see them.
That thing though looks nasty, I would check with your dubia supplier if you find any more

 

[Honeybadger]

The little black beetles are common to add to dubia colonies as cleaners yes They actually help keep a healty dubia colony.
The thing about my colony is that I have had it for 7 months now, no new kritters added, and despite monthly cleanings I never saw it before. Cleanings involve getting every dubia out and checking how many males/females/nymphs there is as well as cleaning the substrate. so no way I could have missed it.

 

[BeardedHippy]

I reckon its a native insect then, it must have gotten into your colony somehow, perhaps on their food? or been small enough at some stage to crawl through the ventilation holes. Unless you keep finding them, its just a curiosity. Glad it didnt lay those eggs though