Feeder Insects in Central Florida

This page is for keepers in Orlando, Tampa, Ocala, Lakeland, Kissimmee and the rest of the I-4 corridor.

The Rule That Applies Everywhere in Florida

Before anything regional: dubia roaches are restricted in Florida and discoid roaches are not. Live arthropods fall under the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, not the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the permit involved is not issued to keepers or feeder sellers.

This is the single most consequential fact for a Florida keeper, and it is why a Florida reptile shop stocks discoids where an out-of-state one stocks dubia. The agency, the statute and the reasoning are set out in why discoid roaches are legal in Florida.

Central Florida is where All Angles Creatures is based, in Altamonte Springs, just north of Orlando.

The Summer Shipping Problem

From roughly June to September, a package sitting in a delivery van in Central Florida is the main thing that kills live feeders in transit. Heat does more damage than cold here, and it does it faster.

What that means practically:

• Order early in the week. A package that misses its delivery and sits over a weekend is the classic loss.
• Bring it in immediately. A cup left on a doorstep in an afternoon is the difference between live feeders and a refund request.
• Expect fewer live options in peak summer, and treat dried or refrigerated stock as the sensible substitute rather than a downgrade.

What Survives Best Here

Black soldier fly larvae handle warmth better than most, and discoid roaches are a subtropical species to begin with — they are comfortable in exactly the conditions that stress other feeders. Hornworms need refrigeration and are the least forgiving of a hot doorstep.

Ordering Live Feeders

All Angles Creatures ships live feeders across Florida from Altamonte Springs. What to buy is covered in the individual guides — discoid roaches, how to feed them, and the storage guide that keeps them alive once they arrive.