Catching Crickets?

[robbor]

OK i could use some ideas from all you grown up bug catchers:p.
Ive got 20 bluegill 2-4" and i need more food for them. I have crickets around the house but need a better way to catch them than chasing them like an idiot. I really need a cricket vac is what i need. Any idea on catching crickets?
I have depleted my compost pile of red worms and need alternative food sources. They also eat white bread well but do not like fish pellets at all.

[J White]

Man, this is reaching waaaay back in the memory bank,
but seems like I read one time where you could sugar-up a piece
of loaf bread and lay it out in the grass overnight and the little buggers would
huddle up on it - then you catch 'em in the morning while they're still
sluggish from the temps.

But my Granma used to tell me if I could put salt on a birds tail,
I could catch it with my hands too :D

[foul hook]

Feed the crappie minnows. You can find crickets under lumber piles rock piles etc. Your cricket supply will run out way b4 you minnows. good luck. When they get shoulders on them you could feed them a jig.

[ReelfootYankee]

Man, this is reaching waaaay back in the memory bank,
but seems like I read one time where you could sugar-up a piece
of loaf bread and lay it out in the grass overnight and the little buggers would
huddle up on it - then you catch 'em in the morning while they're still
sluggish from the temps.

But my Granma used to tell me if I could put salt on a birds tail,
I could catch it with my hands too :D

Let us no iff this works. that would be cool!

[ReelfootYankee]

Catalpa tree's does anybody know if the boe wevel radification(chemicals they use) Have helped to deplete the catalpa worm populatoin?
I have a few catalpa tree's that are ready to try to introduce this next spring some of the worms to help get the worms started on them?
Any help would be appr. Thanks jonh

[bttmline]

I have heard of just laying egg cartons open with insides down and crickets and hoppers will hide under them for protection at night. Then go and retreive your buggers in the morning.

[LouisianaFishNut]

My next door neighbor has some big lizards for pets. Last week he went to the local pet store and ordered a shipment of crickets. He got 1000 for about $25. Might check around where you live for any pet stores willing to work with you like that. Maybe a smaller one instead of a chain like Petco.

They do actually make a bug vac that you can buy at some toy stores, in the sections where they have the science "projects". My son got one once and it's battery operated with chambers and a vacuum. Looks like a ray gun from Star Wars or something! If it were me though, I'd still check into the pet stores...I'm not fast enough for those little buggers....
Good luck with it.

[SteveJ]

Seems like I heard somewhere to get a loaf of unsliced bread, cut in half and remove most of the inside, put a hole in one end and tie it back together. Sit it outside where it will not get wet and they crawl inside the bread. Never have done it myself so don't know.

[foul hook]

If you can get them to congregate, i think that a small shop vac would be great for gathering them up. I have crickets in abundance here in S. Ga. finding them is not the problem, its the catching . They are pretty quick little critters.

[Quicksilver1958]

You will need:

One empty Coffee can with plastic Lid.
one-half of a fresh peach.

Punch 4 equally spaced 1/2" sized holes in the side of the coffee can (90 degrees apart) approx. 1 inch below the plastic lid.

Place the peach slice in the coffee can.
Put the plastic lid on.

In an active area, Dig a hole large enough to put the coffee can in but just deep enough so the 1/2" holes are level with the ground..
Place the can just before dark.
Collect crickets the next morning.

If you have crickets in the area, this works great.