Cricket Farming: The Basics
Commonly Reared Species
Acheta domesticus, Gryollodes sigillatus, Gryllus bimaculatus (outside US), gryllus assimilis
Temperature And Humidity
87-92 degrees F (27-33 degrees Celsius).
20-30% RH, Avoid above 40%.
Incubate and hatch hotter and wetter. Breed at ~72 degrees F (22 degrees Celsius).
Lifecycle
Incubation: 9-14 days.
Time from hatch to harvest: 4-5 weeks.
Sexual maturity: 6-8 weeks.
Basic Equipment
Basics for a quick start listed below. Click each item for an in-depth exploration.
Bin: apply 2 layers of smooth packing tape around the top to prevent escapes.
Housing: (Typically egg filler flats or box dividers).
Watering Source: (Potatoes/carrots/squash, chicken waterers with sponges, or other).
Feed Tray & Feed: Tupperware lids, cafeteria trays, long shallow wooden troughs, etc.
Laying trays (if breeding): pie tins with coconut coir or peat moss.
Feed
Dry feed: 16-21% chicken feed. Best is egg layer. The finer ground, the better.
Moist feed: Rabbit pellets (rehydrate before use).
Additional water sources: melons, root vegetables, squash and pumpkins, etc.
Daily Activities
Replace feed every 2-3 days, or if crust or mold forms.
Replace water every 3-5 days, or when empty.
Clean out any wet frass, feed, etc.
Laying
Add breeding tray 3-5 days after most crickets are chirping (females chewing on housing). Remove after full (24 hours or less). Lay 3 times, 1 day between each.
Harvesting
Remove feed and water trays.
Remove housing, shaking crickets off.
Use harvesting techniques to speed process.
Bag and freeze bugs.
Cricket Population Density/Production
All numbers are based on 280 mg average weight adult crickets.
Small-scale farmer | Average Farmer | Good Farmer | |
kg/sq m/cycle | |||
Raw crickets | 1.12 | 3.26 | 7.34 |
Protein Powder | 0.28 | 0.9 | 2.1 |
Lb/sq ft/cycle | |||
Raw Crickets | 0.23 | 0.667 | 1.5 |
Protein Powder | 0.057 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
Area required to produce 1 unit of protein powder/cycle | |||
Sq m/kg | 3.57 | 1.07 | 0.48 |
Sq ft/lb | 17.47 | 5.25 | 2.33 |