# Feeding mealworms/superworms



## MantidLord (Jul 19, 2008)

Hi guys, it's been a while. My little band of eleven I. oratorias have gotten older, and some reached adult stage. I recently ran out of crix large enough for the older mantids, and when I went to the store, they only had small crix, so I got superworms. Which i think are just larger mealworms? anyway, I put the superworms in the mantids' enclosure, and they ran down toward the thing, and hesitated. They didn't know how to strike it. One picked it up, but dropped it. The next day, as the mantids ignored the superworms, I tried to hand feed them to the mantids. But even as that occured, when a mantis would grasp the superworm, it would immediately let go. So I pierced the superworms, and the mantids fed on them. I also noticed that superworms have these pierce-like claws. I know that mealworms are beetle larvae, so is it the same for superworms? I also noticed a super worm feeding on the remains of anther superworm, so are they predators, and can they harm a mantis? Also, should keep hand feeding the superworms to the mantids, or will they eventually be able to capture this new prey? All their lives, they've only eaten aphids, fruitflies, house flies, and crix (and the occasional sibling). Or should I stop using superworms all together? thanks for any input. BTW: the scientific name is Zophobas morio, just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about. Thanks!


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## The_Asa (Jul 19, 2008)

Some may use superworms to feed their mantids, but superworms have been known to kill mantids occasionally. I never use them. I would continue to do as you are doing as the mantis will not kill it.


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## MantidLord (Jul 19, 2008)

Thanks, I'll do that. Umm...does anyone know exactly *how* the superworms kill mantids? Is it during a molt, or do they actually hunt them?


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## Birdfly (Jul 19, 2008)

Mealworms _Tenebrio molitor_, superworms/morioworms _Zoophobus morio_

Superworms are really only a good food for mantids large enough to take them, i would have though even adult _Iris oratoria_ would struggle with them as these are small mantids. Try ordinary mealworms if you can find some.

_Zoophobus_ worms are highly omnivorous :lol: they eat any thing, wood, veg, meat if it stays still long enough, i cannot see how one could kill and eat a mantis, let alone catch one, unless the mantis was small and stuck. I lost a _H membranacea_ female to them once though, she had fallen from her perch whilst climbing around in a large viv and landed on the flat of her back on vermiculite and could not right herself, whilst like this 20 or so _Zoophobus_ living in the substrate started eating her, she was too badly damaged when i found her and she had to visit the fridge.


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## MantidLord (Jul 19, 2008)

Thanks Birdfly, the adults do have trouble, and I just got back from hand feeding a pregnant adult female. I had a look at the mealworms when I was at the store, but the mealworms were too small (smaller than the crix). I did think of having the super worms become a permanent food for adults (because I thought it would keep them full), but seeing how the mantids can't catch them, and the superworms unbiased feeding habits, I'll stick to crix from the local exotic store. especially since my two adult females are pregnant, I'm not taking any chances. I know how to deal with crickets, but not superworms. So thanks alot. I'll just hand feed the rest of these superworms, and that'll be it for them (unless of course I obtain a larger species of mantid)  .

P.S. I'm sorry about your H membranacea, I can't imagine seeing 20 wormy-things gang up on a large mantis, and devouring her alive. Was she an adult?


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## Rick (Jul 19, 2008)

They are ok for food but of course there are many better choices. I would only use these as a staple until you get something else.


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## idolomantis (Jul 19, 2008)

exept the fact that they just bite you in the hand, i hate them.. my old wussies where scared like heck.


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## Rick (Jul 19, 2008)

Oh I forgot to add. They will not kill your mantis under any normal circumstances.


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## mantidsandgeckos (Jul 20, 2008)

superworms don't normally eat meat.


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## The_Asa (Jul 20, 2008)

As Rick said, under normal conditions, they will not eat mantids. Just like crickets. And mealworms. However they are much larger than crickets and mealworms and besides the factor of death after an exceptional circumstance (molting) they are difficult for the mantid to handle.


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## MantidLord (Jul 21, 2008)

So should I leave them in with the pregnant females, or will they take advantage of them if they lay their ootheca. Oh, I am just using the superworms as staples, but I have 19, and I don't want them to go to waste, plus they really fatten up the mantids.

@ Idolomantis: I figured they'd bite, so I don't handle them with my hands.

Thanks Asa and Rick, I'll see if my adult males can handle the superworms (seeing they can't molt or lay eggs i.e no special cirumstances), and give them to them. While I'll continue hand feeding the females. I guess the females were really stuffed, because I came back an hour later, and the bottom of the container was littered with mantis excretions :blink: So I didn't feed them yesterday nor will I feed them today.

P.S. My mantids aren't afraid of the superworms, they'll run down and hit it, but they'll drop if as if they don't know how to eat it, plus the superworm twirls and breaks free. So they are difficult to catch, as Asa said. Thanks everyone for your replies


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## idolomantis (Jul 21, 2008)

MantidLord said:


> @ Idolomantis: I figured they'd bite, so I don't handle them with my hands.


i wonder how you figured that out :lol:


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## MantidLord (Jul 21, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> i wonder how you figured that out :lol:


lol, I was actually too scared to hold them


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## Cindy (Jul 22, 2008)

My Tropidomantids can be frightened by a mere mealworm because they are about the same size.

The female is more ferocious and attacks quite quickly. She finishes the while worm in about 15 minutes. The male runs away almost everytime I place a mealworm in his box. Only recently, he took one mealworm at night. By the next morning, he was still holding on to half of it. It looked kinda funny 'cos he looked like he fell asleep while eating the mealworm so slowly! :lol:


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## MantidLord (Jul 22, 2008)

Cindy said:


> My Tropidomantids can be frightened by a mere mealworm because they are about the same size. The female is more ferocious and attacks quite quickly. She finishes the while worm in about 15 minutes. The male runs away almost everytime I place a mealworm in his box. Only recently, he took one mealworm at night. By the next morning, he was still holding on to half of it. It looked kinda funny 'cos he looked like he fell asleep while eating the mealworm so slowly! :lol:


lol, I haven't yet fed my male a superworm yet, but last night, one of my pregnant females ate one. I woke up and saw her swollen like a balloon. :lol: The only thing left of the superworm was that last segment/tail thing. I wish the rest were as good as her. &lt;_&lt;


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