FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Bloodworms, Crickets, Spiders, Shrimp, Feeder Insects in General
Nutrient Analyses and Comparisons
LOTS of info here.

For those who like to do a little light reading (Not) about the nutritional values of various insects, this is a list of literature I've found. It contains many dozens of insect types found in the wild and used as feeders for reptiles and amphibians.

When you get into it, you'll see there are very many differences and not all analyses are done the same way which makes comparisons difficult. The differences can be due to the insect's individual biology, or their own feeding habits, or what was fed to them in captivity, as well as differences in analytical techniques. The last link on the list appears to address this in the text parts of each section more than any other article.

I offer this for your consumption (pun intended). I will leave the arguments about which one is best to each of you.

P.S. It looks like the long links are complete, but are not underlined. They will work if you copy and paste each complete link onto the address line.

Summary of insect nitrogen content database (pdf download)
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... JBtmCdN-GA

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nitrogen in insects (pdf download)
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... jmCqxWiEpw

and

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18707465
Am Nat. 2002 Dec;160(6):784-802. doi: 10.1086/343879.
Nitrogen in insects: implications for trophic complexity and species diversification.
Fagan WF, Siemann E, Mitter C, Denno RF, Huberty AF, Woods HA, Elser JJ.
Source: Department of Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA.

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nitrogen & mineral levels in some insects from lower Michigan (pdf download)
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... Sb8PTFNOUQ

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Quantification of insect nitrogen utilization by vft
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/content/52/358/1041.long

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nutrients in spiders and insects (pdf download)
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... jOsbm2g4cA

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Nitrogen Content in Riparian Arthropods is Most Dependent on Allometry and Order
http://journals.fcla.edu/flaent/article/view/76195

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Feeder insect nutrition
http://www.moonvalleyreptiles.com/crest ... er-insects

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Nutritional Analyses of insects and other foods for reptiles, etc.
http://www.chameleonforums.com/nutritio ... ysis-2520/

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Common reptile feeder nutrition
http://www.moonvalleyreptiles.com/crest ... er-insects
http://moonvalleyreptiles.com/files/Fee ... s-v1.0.pdf

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Nutritional Values of Amphibian Foods
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/foods2.shtml

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Nutritional aspects of insects as food
http://nagonline.net/Technical%20Papers ... DIFIED.pdf

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Bloodworm nutritional info Chironomus thummi (C. riparius)
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/to ... bloodworm/

"BLOODWORM:- can increase the protein and iron in your fish diet, though they are not usually suitable as a complete diet because they lack a wide range of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals."

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Nutritional value of freshwater shrimp, dried amphipods
http://freshwatershrimps.com/uncategori ... -shrimp-2/

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Nutrient Content of Insects
http://www.organicvaluerecovery.com/stu ... nsects.htm

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I've always fed my plants mealworms. It is interesting to see how they compare to other insects. They have less nutrients than crickets, but the tub I breed them in only smells like dry oatmeal and they are slow and clean. For ease of use, they are perfect. Crickets are messy, fast, stinky and loud and can munch through the leaves of plants they are trapped in. Too much work for me;) very good info you have there though.
Thanks.