# Aphids/greenfly



## ellroy (Jun 30, 2006)

Hi,

Anyone feed aphids to their mantis nymphs? I can't think of a reason why it should be a problem but I think I might have read somewhere that its not a good idea.....

Anyone have any ideas?

thanks

Alan


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## Johnald Chaffinch (Jun 30, 2006)

i tried it once, the mantis didnt notice it cos they're so slow and small.

try em, see what happens.

if they're good enough for ladybirds...

my mantis tried to eat a ladybird once, then properly threw it away almost instantly. i think it was because of the defense substance the ladybirds let off when they're in danger


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## infinity (Jun 30, 2006)

I used to feed all my nymphs aphids... I didn't spray them that often so I thought all the sap the aphid had inside it would compensate... seemed to work well!

Only problem is culturing them... I have lots of pea plants which they seem to love, as well as Digitalis (foxglove). No ill affects as far as I've noticed!

http://www.pollywog.co.uk/aphid.html

Haven't tried it but if anyone does, let me know how it works out


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## julian camilo (Jun 30, 2006)

i did this once with p.wahlbergii hatchlings when i was VERY hard up for food. it worked ok i guess but i couldnt get enough of them to use with any regularity, it was really just the once or twice. so id say if you had a good supply of them, then yeh, why not, in theory it should be ok, and diversity is always good. i never gave a thought to culturing them, but it looks easy enough, i might give it a try.


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## jonpat83 (Jun 30, 2006)

I feed them to hatchling orchids, wahlbergis, and sibylla pretiosa with no ill effects and the nymphs took them well when they were afraid of fruit flies. I think this is one of the uses for ooths sold in garden centres in the U.S, they seem to make a good feed but are really fiddley to handle!


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## ellroy (Jul 1, 2006)

Well I gave it a shot as my fruit flies have not turned up yet and I have 5 hungry P.paradoxa to feed! They snapped them up and seem quite healthy the following morning so I reckon they are ok. There are loads of them about at the moment so will certainly make an alternative to ff's.

I agree with Julian that diversity is good and always try to offer wild caught alternatives where possible.

Obviously care should be taken to avoid areas that may have been treated with pesticides but these are off weeds in my garden so I know they are ok,

Thanks for the comments

Alan


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