Manipulation of the Calcium Content of Insectivore Diets through Supplementary Dusting

Abstract. Insects fed to captve insectvores are defcient in calcium with inverse calcium to phosphorous ratos (Ca:P), and supplementaton is required to avoid nutritonal metabolic bone disease (NMBD). One method of improving the nutritonal value of feeder insects is by “dustng” with powdered supplements, although it is ofen suggested that these are rapidly shed from prey insects. Here we analysed the calcium content of hatchling, second, fourth and adult instars of black feld crickets and silent crickets at increasing tme intervals afer dustng, as well as comparing three commercially available brands of supplement in fourth instar black feld crickets. Our data show these brands do not differ from one another in terms of calcium delivery, despite differences in calcium content. We also show that dustng
can be used to increase Ca:P ratos above 1:1 in crickets up to 5.5 hours afer dustng, with the excepton of adult black feld crickets, and thus dustng is a useful method of calcium supplementaton.