Cricket farming is still a relatively new thing and there are many unknowns when it comes to creating an environment that allows crickets to thrive. Let’s take a closer look at what we are doing at our farm in terms of temperature, lighting, materials, and other essentials.
Each cricket species has different needs
Creating the right environment for crickets depends on the species. There are many different species of crickets to choose from but we are most interested in two. Acheta domesticus, also called house cricket, is the most commonly farmed cricket and that’s the reason we also have it on our farm. There is an established demand for this species, especially in Europe, and it has the best taste. The problem is that it can be susceptible to disease so the environment has to be just right.
The second species we farm is Gryllus assimilis, also called the silent cricket. It’s interesting because it grows bigger and faster, and is much more resilient which is great for farming. The problem is that it has a stronger taste and there’s a lower demand for it at the moment.
The temperature, lighting, and space has to be just right
Acheta domesticus is the species we grow the most of so we have to focus on the environment. The temperature has to be between 32 – 34 °C, there has to be a specific humidity, and a certain amount of air flow. We also have to make sure to respect the natural day and night cycle when it comes to lighting.
Crickets are also very sensitive to the amount of space they have. Big factory farms full of cows and pigs have to use antibiotics to make sure the animals survive those horrible conditions. We don’t use antibiotics so we have to make sure cricket simply has the space it needs. Too much space is inefficient for farming and too little space means the crickets would get stressed and a lot of them would not survive.
Breeding
Crickets also need the ability to move around and hide. That’s why we put plenty of egg cartons in their living environment. We also make sure to introduce different generations of crickets among each other, and regularly bring in crickets from other farms to maintain genetic diversity.
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