# Sacrifice or not to sacrifice



## Digger (Sep 3, 2014)

I captured a lovely Limenitis arthemis astyanax butterfly this afternoon and have to decide whether or not to sacrifice it to the newly-molted adult, Lea - Queen of The Autumn (one of the largest Tenodera sinensis females I've seen). It would be a nutritious banquet fit for her Highness.







Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Limenitis arthemis astyanax


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## Darkrai283 (Sep 3, 2014)

Do you breed leps? If not, and if there's a healthy population of them where you live, I would feed him (looks like a male in the photo) to your T. sinensis.


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## Digger (Sep 3, 2014)

Hi Dark. I do not. But this species continues a healthy population in the Eastern middle states, here in the U.S. I would never feed a honey bee now. But the Red Spotted Purple is fairly ubiquitous.


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## Aryia (Sep 3, 2014)

I would keep it ^^ it's so pretty. I doubt it'll be much of a meal, especially if your mantis doesn't like eating wings xD


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## Darkrai283 (Sep 3, 2014)

There's pretty much no point in keeping butterflies (male or female) unless you are planning to breed them. Moths do fine in screen/mesh enlcosure provided they have the space but it completely different for butterflies as they are constant fliers and their wings will get batterred pretty quickly in whatever enclosure they're kept in anything smaller than say a greenhouse lol. XD

Therefore, I would either release or feed.  

Edit: fixed some typos. My phone's very laggy so it's hard to type smoothly on here.


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## Rick (Sep 3, 2014)

To a Chinese mantis? No.


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## Digger (Sep 3, 2014)

Rick. Do I feel a hint of contempt and insolence for the greatest, friendliest, most noble, by far most intelligent species in the mantis world? HA ! We'll toss your puny Orchids aside and wipe our Royal tarsis on the carpet of your pusillanimous Gongylus gongylodes ! Again, I say.... HA!

If they'd eat it, they deserve to be fed filet Mignon every day. NAY !! They deserve to be fed Idolomantis diabolica (as an Hors d'oeuvre).


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## LAME (Sep 3, 2014)

Beautiful catch my friend

but, I'd feed it. There's nothing wrong with our T. Sinensis Rick lol, you know how awesomely cool they are


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## happy1892 (Sep 3, 2014)

I would not. That species of butterfly is too pretty. Just about all butterflies I feel like are too precious to feed off, especially a mantis that can eat roaches and crickets.


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## Mantis Man13 (Sep 3, 2014)

Rick, why do you hate Chinese mantises so much when your avatar appears to be a head of one? I know that you dislike their invasion of the U.S., but you must reconsider that it was not by their own will that sent them here in the first place, but by Americans who did not realize that these large mantids would prey on native mantises instead of being beneficial like they expected.


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## mantiseater (Sep 3, 2014)

sacrafice! sacrafice! sacrafice! just kidding I would keep it


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## Mantis Man13 (Sep 3, 2014)

Sacrifice it, who cares about a butterfly? It is just another pawn of the mantise's chess game.


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## soundspawn (Sep 3, 2014)

Give the butterfly a toothpick for self defense and let him meet his new roommate. If he's alive in a week he's earned his freedom.


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## Ranitomeya (Sep 3, 2014)

I'd probably pin the butterfly as I think I'd value it more as a preserved specimen than as a food source--butterflies tend to have little meat on them and it seems like such a pity to destroy something so aesthetically pleasing.


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## aNisip (Sep 4, 2014)

If it were me I would give him a little treat of sugar water, and release. I dont have the current supplies to pin...and plus if you seldom see that species fluttering around, it would be "good karma" :flowers: 

(beauty of a photograph too! :tt1: )


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## dmina (Sep 4, 2014)

This was a good thread.. gave me a little chuckle..at the end of a very long day..LOL

Thanks for sharing!


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## Aryia (Sep 4, 2014)

I would totally keep it in my indoor garden :3


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## Rick (Sep 4, 2014)

Ranitomeya said:


> I'd probably pin the butterfly as I think I'd value it more as a preserved specimen than as a food source--butterflies tend to have little meat on them and it seems like such a pity to destroy something so aesthetically pleasing.


If it must be killed this is a good option. It is a really interesting and beautiful butterfly.




Mantis Man13 said:


> Rick, why do you hate Chinese mantises so much when your avatar appears to be a head of one? I know that you dislike their invasion of the U.S., but you must reconsider that it was not by their own will that sent them here in the first place, but by Americans who did not realize that these large mantids would prey on native mantises instead of being beneficial like they expected.


Hate is a strong word. I don't hate any mantis. In fact, that species is largely responsible for my lifelong interest in mantids. I assume you're very young so I will try not to lecture you but I am well aware of how and why that species ranges across much of this country. Tenodera doesn't belong on the landscape here and I do disdain them a bit for that reason just like I feel the way I do about house sparrows or European starlings.

And my avatar is a joke, hence the knife and fork reflected in the eye.


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## Digger (Sep 4, 2014)

Perhaps the Native American feels WE don't belong on the landscape either ! :no:


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## PIaf94 (Sep 4, 2014)

I've fed butterflies before. Only on occasion and only to my flower mantises because their diet requires it. It may also be beneficial. True in terms that they don't have much meat in them, but they do retain some pollen from feeding on nectar. Although not really proven pollen been shown to be good for mantis Ooth production and overall health. Something I've noticed myself. I say if it's not endangered go for it. The mantis will actually eat only the butterfly's body leaving those pretty wings everyone's commenting about perfectly intact. I've actually been collecting the wings and framing them myself


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## Digger (Sep 4, 2014)

I am not without beneficence. :angel: I made a solution of honey, sugar and warm water. The Red Spotted Purple eagerly lapped it up. It's the first time I've seen a butterfly proboscis in action, close up.

Then, outside to the deck and he flew off to tell his friends of his great adventure, bravely escaping a gruesome doom.


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## twolfe (Sep 4, 2014)

Yeah! Some years some species are more scarce around here, and there is a lot of discussion about habitat loss. But even if they were abundant, I wouldn't personally use them because I enjoy seeing them fluttering around out back. I also will not use dragonflies or honey bees as feeders. I think using wild caught feeders is good, but I don't have as much time to catch them nowadays. When I do, I mostly catch wasps or hornets, house and bb flies that hatch in the garage, and a few moths.


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## Ralphys_Mantids (Sep 7, 2014)

Tammy is correct!


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## LAME (Sep 8, 2014)

lol you guys are too funny.

but in all seriousness.... What ever happened?

oops.. Didn't see diggers comment. Sorry ^_^


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