# Mantis eatting mosquito



## Woodbox (May 21, 2010)

Wanted to share. L2 eating mosquito. Still have 10. 6 have leveled up over the last 2-3 days. 4 haven't yet. Does anybody have experience when they start eating each other. I'm guessing I should start separating them in about 5 days when some level up to L3 and start nailing the L2s. Still assuming these are Carolinas.


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## Montisa (May 21, 2010)

You should probably let the stronger ones eat the weaker ones. Filter out the weaklings. Then once you have the desired amount of mantids you want, then seperate them. Great photo by the way! It's the best photo of a nymph eating a mosquito I've ever seen!


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## hibiscusmile (May 21, 2010)

Both are so tiny! I can hardly see em


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## Woodbox (May 21, 2010)

Montisa said:


> You should probably let the stronger ones eat the weaker ones. Filter out the weaklings. Then once you have the desired amount of mantids you want, then separate them. Great photo by the way! It's the best photo of a nymph eating a mosquito I've ever seen!


I planned that but I only got 10 out of my ootheca hatching. I want to keep 2 females and 3 males and Im giving away a few mantids too so I don't really have mantids to spare. Im concerned about male : female ratio. Im hoping its close to 5050


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## Mr.Mantid (May 22, 2010)

one less mosquito to worry about.


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## Woodbox (May 26, 2010)

Montisa said:


> You should probably let the stronger ones eat the weaker ones. Filter out the weaklings. Then once you have the desired amount of mantids you want, then seperate them. Great photo by the way! It's the best photo of a nymph eating a mosquito I've ever seen!


ya, so 8 total molted fine within 3-4 days of each other. 2 still have not. I separated them and tried to feed them extra. nogo. They just dont have what it takes. Lazy with no drive. Im going to use them as food as soon as their siblings will eat them. Same parts. Same proteins and carbs and vitamins. Perfect little walking meals.


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## Mr.Mantid (May 26, 2010)

Woodbox said:


> ya, so 8 total molted fine within 3-4 days of each other. 2 still have not. I separated them and tried to feed them extra. nogo. They just dont have what it takes. Lazy with no drive. Im going to use them as food as soon as their siblings will eat them. Same parts. Same proteins and carbs and vitamins. Perfect little walking meals.


My chinese nymphs molted to l2 two days ago


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## gadunka888 (May 28, 2010)

wow this is the first time i heard some one use the word '' level up'' for sth in real life lol. :lol: 

anyway how did you catch that mosquito? i have an odontomantis ooth and i need to find some food incase they hatch.


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## more_rayne (May 28, 2010)

Your mantis now has a taste for your blood!


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## Woodbox (May 29, 2010)

2 leveled to L3 last night. one male, one female.  

I plan to breed them. When do I start backing off on food for males to let the females mature first? Now at L3 or when they are L4 or L5?





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## Woodbox (May 29, 2010)

tropid0_mAntis said:


> wow this is the first time i heard some one use the word '' level up'' for sth in real life lol. :lol:
> 
> anyway how did you catch that mosquito? i have an odontomantis ooth and i need to find some food incase they hatch.


That one bit me when I was holding a mantis. I very carefully tapped it. That stunned it. I found it's body and mangled it's wings and then dropped it in front of the mantis.

Mosquitoes are very fragile. It does not take much to destroy them.

I used to catch mosquitoes for mantids when I was little and did not know about fruit flies. I caught them for a Thesprotia Graminis. I had little single serving jars that used to hold jam. Very small. To catch mosquitoes, you have to use yourself or something else as bait. I would sit outside with long sleeves and shorts on and watch my legs. When a mosquito bit, I would put the jar over it and then slide the lid on. I could usually get 6-7 in one tiny jar before they started escaping when I tried to catch another. Jar went into freezer for a minute and then dump into cage. I would probably try to use some sort of net nowadays.


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