# Feeding black eyed bean weevil to nymphs?



## Insect-lover (Jan 13, 2011)

So, i should be geting a culture of these little bugs on the mail either tomorrow or on the start of the next week, are these good for the small mantis? They are about 5mm and less.

The description said it was good for mantis hatchlings , so i don't know...

For reference, this is the culture box:







And just to have an idea of their size, compare the beans to them in this next picture:


----------



## GreenOasis (Jan 13, 2011)

One man's pest is another man's pleasure?  

Never heard of this particular food source, but, as long as the mantis will eat it, it's probably okay. Depends on your species of mantid, really...some will ONLY eat flying foods.


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 13, 2011)

GreenOasis said:


> One man's pest is another man's pleasure?
> 
> Never heard of this particular food source, but, as long as the mantis will eat it, it's probably okay. Depends on your species of mantid, really...some will ONLY eat flying foods.


I hope so, because when it comes to cultures, this one's probably one of the easyest ones i have ever seen to culture, all you need is black eyed beans, a cup or box, and some of these bugs and they will start to make holes in the beans and laying eggs inside each one, they also feed on the beans.

Im ordering a fruit fly culture just for caution, if the beans do work then heck, i will have 2 food sources to variate.


----------



## warpdrive (Jan 13, 2011)

what is this for again? what mantid?

all I'll say is that when hungry, even my Ghosts cup fed on small crickets. it was crazy. they came down, one by one into the tub and took one, then backed up out of the tub while eating to let the next guy have it's turn. I should have video taped it.  

Harry


----------



## cuervo (Jan 13, 2011)

please let us know how it goes


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 13, 2011)

cuervo said:


> please let us know how it goes


Rest asured that i will


----------



## DeadInTheBasement (Jan 13, 2011)

i have a few cultures of these and i tried feeding them to my sibylla pretiosa a while back and they were not at all interested but sibylla is a picky species i am sure some mantids would go crazy for these beetles


----------



## Orin (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm not going to say you can't feed them to mantids but in my experience mantids do not like the hard shell and give up pretty quickly.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Jan 13, 2011)

Thats what I think too, Orin. But as the one said, if they are hungry they might go for it, never hurts to try. I have thousand of them in summer, real pest on my hibiscus flowers, but the japanase beetles are far worse, if it is not one it is the other. Mantis dont want no japanese beetle either :lol: 

But really, please let us know, it will be very interesting to see.

And I wish u would of taped the ghost doing that, it would be so neat on u tube or whatever.


----------



## Orin (Jan 13, 2011)

hibiscusmile said:


> Thats what I think too, Orin. But as the one said, if they are hungry they might go for it, never hurts to try.


 Actually I only said that because if I said mantids won't eat them someone would come up with a picture of a mantis feeding on a bean weevil.


----------



## warpdrive (Jan 14, 2011)

hibiscusmile said:


> And I wish u would of taped the ghost doing that, it would be so neat on u tube or whatever.


ok, I'll try to starve them for a day or two first, then try to make a video. it's just I got so many flys from you...guess they live another day. &lt;_&lt; 

Harry


----------



## Rick (Jan 14, 2011)

For new nymphs fruit flies are your best bet. Despite the many threads here on culturing ff's they are very simple. LIke Orin said, many mantids don't like the hard shell.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Jan 14, 2011)

Don' t you starve them babies. :huh:


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 14, 2011)

Thanks to everyone.

Also, if anyone knows where i can get some fruit fly cultures that can be shipped to europe tell me, it would be nice. ( Even tought i can pretty much get some in here, i would prefer to have a few more ).


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 17, 2011)

I got the culture today, some hatched during the ride , and are still alive, the yellow thing in the middle is a bottle top to server as plate for the cotton that was wetten'd with sugar water to feed the adults.


----------



## packer43064 (Jan 17, 2011)

Nice! I want some of these too. You looked like you ripped the heck out of that box, lol.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Jan 17, 2011)

I can't find any right now, but when summer starts, anyone who wants some, write to me, I have plenty all summer long! They eat my hibiscus seeds :angry:


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 18, 2011)

Jeff Parker said:


> Nice! I want some of these too. You looked like you ripped the heck out of that box, lol.


Indeed i did! I was raging with excitment :lol:


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 18, 2011)

Well, i suspect the chinese will eat, seeing that even flower mantid's eat them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY1mp8YIMiQ


----------



## hibiscusmile (Jan 18, 2011)

Is it eating one? too much noise on video for old lady


----------



## babyfroggy (Jan 19, 2011)

Cool video  I keep a couple bean weevil cultures going for my frogs, but my mantises don't seem to like them. The beetles tend to escape from the frog enclosures and get into unusual places. Sometimes I find them in the mantis containers just crawling around unharmed.


----------



## Insect-lover (Jan 19, 2011)

hibiscusmile said:


> Is it eating one? too much noise on video for old lady


Yes, you can chec the desc. for more into.


----------

