Keep the habitat relatively dry and don't let the food get too moldy. Wrap a paper towel completely around a wide-mouth jar and secure it with a rubber band. Set the jar near a wall or a corner and leave it over night. Roaches are attracted by the bait, run up the paper towel, jump into the jar, and can't get out. Transfer them to your colony in the morning.
Generation time is about nine months for American cockroaches.
The larvae of these beetles are commonly called mealworms . Mealworms feed on dry grains and need very little water to survive. Occasionally add a few vegetable peelings or a slice of potato to provide a source of moisture.