# Lightening bugs bad?



## Mvalenz (Jun 22, 2013)

I fed my female budwing a lightening bug last night and she was fine when i went to bed. This morning she is dead. I guess the lightening bug may have been sprayed with some sort of insecticide, but are they bad for mantids in the first place?


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## Domanating (Jun 22, 2013)

According to some research I made, some firefly species are poisonous and can kill small vertebrates or cause serious gastric problems. It doesn't mention the effects on insects but it seems to be equally deadly to them.

Edit: Apparently they carry a type of venom similar to some toad species


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## Mvalenz (Jun 22, 2013)

Domanating said:


> According to some research I made, some firefly species are poisonous and can kill small vertebrates or cause serious gastric problems. It doesn't mention the effects on insects but it seems to be equally deadly to them.


That blows. I had no idea. Thanks


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## aNisip (Jun 22, 2013)

This is odd... awhile ago, a post was made that showed a member that fed fireflies to their mantis and the mantis was glowing after it ate them...and its insides were glowing, and lived a normal life after that...pretty cool...but maybe you got a different species or indeed sprayed with insecticide?


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## sally (Jun 22, 2013)

Awww, sorry to hear about your budwing


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## Domanating (Jun 22, 2013)

AndrewNisip said:


> This is odd... awhile ago, a post was made that showed a member that fed fireflies to their mantis and the mantis was glowing after it ate them...and its insides were glowing, and lived a normal life after that...pretty cool...but maybe you got a different species or indeed sprayed with insecticide?


I seriously doubt it's was insecticide problem because the firefly wouldn't be alive in that case.

I saw that pic too but there could be 2 explanations. 1st that specific firefly wasn't poisonous or the particular species of mantid that ate the firefly was resistant or immune to the poison.


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## Mvalenz (Jun 22, 2013)

Domanating said:


> I seriously doubt it's was insecticide problem because the firefly wouldn't be alive in that case.
> 
> I saw that pic too but there could be 2 explanations. 1st that specific firefly wasn't poisonous or the particular species of mantid that ate the firefly was resistant or immune to the poison.


I doubt they have the same fireflies in africa that they do here, so maybe she was not immune to it. She was doing great last night after eating it. Well, another lesson learned the hard way. At least I got a fertile ooth from her before she past. The lineage goes on.


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## Mime454 (Jun 22, 2013)

My acromantids eat a diet heavy in fireflies but they're fine. Fireflies have a nasty smell to me, but the mantids seem to like them just fine.


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## Digger (Jun 23, 2013)

Lightning bugs ARE toxic !

So sorry you lost a budwing, Mike.


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## Mvalenz (Jun 23, 2013)

Well, she is still alive. She is really messed up though. Her legs are curled up and she can't really use them. She fell off the plant I had her on. This morning I touched her cuz I was wondering why she wasn't decomposing and she started to flail her arms around. I'm going to try to nurse her back to health. I hope she gets better.


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## Domanating (Jun 23, 2013)

That's impressive! Maybe the poison just paralyzed her. I will be very impressed if she fully recovers


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## Sticky (Jun 23, 2013)

I hope she does.


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## patrickfraser (Jun 23, 2013)

Give lots of fluids to help flush out the toxins.


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## Digger (Jun 23, 2013)

Like PF mentions: Lots of H2O and perhaps a little honey if she'll take it.


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## mmcguffi (Jul 1, 2013)

how is she?


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## Domanating (Jul 1, 2013)

mmcguffi said:


> how is she?


This topic continues here:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=30529


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