Insect Direct, a Wairarapa based operation, sends up to 6,000 live crickets per week to zoos, owners of unusual pets and native fauna operations for feeding birds and reptiles.

Twice a week Fastway Couriers Wairarapa takes delivery of the Insect Direct's sales and starts the distribution of them nationwide.

"It can get a bit noisy in the office when Insect Direct drops off a shipment of live crickets," said Russell Boniface, the franchise owner of Fastway Couriers Wairarapa.

"We often have 20 to 30 shoe box sized boxes in here twice a week. And each box can hold up to 100 crickets."

Insect Direct, with Fastway Couriers help, regularly ships the crickets to Auckland and Wellington Zoos, as well as individual pet owners, and Department of Conservation and other native bird and animal operations that need the crickets for the specialised diet of the native fauna.

The crickets are used to feed birds including Kiwis, meerkats, amphibians like frogs and reptiles such as Tuatara.

The shoe box sized containers have a small hole with a gauze covering so the crickets get continued access to air, but cannot escape. Broken up egg cartons are used to provide the crickets with a temporary habitat inside the box.

The company also ships dried crickets from Insect Direct, which is a much easier freight for the Fastway Couriers network to handle.

Goldfish are another unusual freight which Fastway Couriers Wairarapa deals with regularly, distributing country-wide for a local breeder.

"The fish are swimming around in a plastic bag, which is secured inside a plastic container," said Mr Boniface. "Live freight is all part of the service."

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