Packing Jerusalem Crickets for Shipment

Bob Allen & David Weissman

1. First, write a short note about the cricket. Include the place of capture: State, County, nearest City, habitat, and notes about what it was doing when you found it. Include your name, contact information, and date of capture. If you are sending multiple crickets, write a number next to the note about each cricket. Write that number on the container of the cricket it describes. We Entomologists call the note a Collecting Report and the number a Specimen Number.
2. Get a separate plastic container for each cricket, such as a margarine or salsa tub (no glass). Wash and dry it thoroughly.
3. Do not make air holes in the lid (they will use even small holes as "starters" to eat their way out).
4. Place soft material such as peat moss or sphagnum moss into the container, nearly filling it. Do not use soil or sand. Keep the moss dry, do not add water.
5. Bury a slice of apple, carrot, or potato in the moss.
6. Place one cricket into the tub. It will probably bury itself quickly (don't worry if it does not). Always keep crickets in separate containers because they eat each other.
7. Place the lid on the tub. Use 1-2 pieces of tape to hold it shut.
8. If you are sending multiple crickets, be sure to write the Specimen Number on the container of the cricket it describes.
9. Place the tub into the center of a small but sturdy cardboard box. Surround it with packing material on all sides. Styrefoam chips work best. If you have multiple crickets to send, carefully place all containers into the box and surround each with packing material. If it is hot outside, use a box some 12 inches on a side. If cool, a smaller box is OK.
10. Place the Collecting Report into the package.
11. Close and seal the box.
12. Label the box with your name and return address.
13. Address the package to: Dr. David Weissman, 15431 Francis Oaks Way, Los Gatos CA 95032.
14. Once packed, ship the package immediately. Please ship "Priority Mail" thru US Post Office.
15. Send an e-mail message to tell Dr. David Weissman (gryllus1@juno.com) that you have shipped the cricket. Include the Collecting Report as an attachment so he knows exactly what specimens to expect.
16. When it arrives, he will send a response to tell you that the cricket arrived. He will also reimburse your shipping costs.

Thank you for your help!