# Dropped a right clanger



## bugzilla (Apr 26, 2008)

I've dropped a right clanger and run out of blue bottles, the next lot won't hatch out for about a week :angry: 

In the meantime I obviously need to feed my mantids but there's still not alot of wild bugs around. Is there any way of setting up fly traps or something to catch what little there is? I've managed a cranefly (didn't get eaten and died) and one or 2 bluebottles but thats about it.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Huw


----------



## macro junkie (Apr 26, 2008)

go to a field..somewhere theres cows and sheep..knee down and your see loads and loads of dung flys..u wont be able to catch normal blue bottles outdoors.even with honey smeared on the floor..but dung flys there easy to catch...iv been shooting them for a few days now..i have 100s at the back of my house..

oh by the way..they dont eat the poo when there flys..they just hatch in the poo.they eat pollen and other insects

there between blue and green bottle size.

this time of year theres so many u would not belive.but blue bottles are few and far between.there about..i hav seen them..but only a few here and there.dung flys are every where all on the grass hatching from the poo,LOL

i could catch a load for u and send u them but u wouldn't get them till tuesday now being the weekend


----------



## bugzilla (Apr 26, 2008)

Cracking idea, I'll go for a walk later. I'll probably look a right muppet with my little fishing net attacking piles of horse manure but I've done worse :lol: 

Come to think of it my friend has 40+ horses. Should be a good supply there  

How about using small locusts :huh: Has anyone tried these? Since using flies instead of crickets I've noticed the mantis don't appear as full after eating, even when they take a couple. I was wondering about more meaty foods as an occasional treat to add variety


----------



## Stuart89 (Apr 26, 2008)

bugzilla said:


> Cracking idea, I'll go for a walk later. I'll probably look a right muppet with my little fishing net attacking piles of horse manure but I've done worse :lol: Come to think of it my friend has 40+ horses. Should be a good supply there
> 
> How about using small locusts :huh: Has anyone tried these? Since using flies instead of crickets I've noticed the mantis don't appear as full after eating, even when they take a couple. I was wondering about more meaty foods as an occasional treat to add variety


Ive used small locusts, I think they are great.. they fill them up more than crickets and they walk around a lot more. Ive used them for my ghosts too because they walk to the top of the tank where they sit.


----------



## macro junkie (Apr 26, 2008)

bugzilla said:


> Since using flies instead of crickets I've noticed the mantis don't appear as full after eating, even when they take a couple. I was wondering about more meaty foods as an occasional treat to add variety


sounds like your not giving them enough flys.see all the mantids in my signature?there all fed on flys..i dont use dirty skanky crikcts any more.all mine are always full..there abdomens are fat..but thats because i feed them alot of flys..


----------



## mr nick (Apr 26, 2008)

Im not 100% sure,but with reference to feeding crane flies-i believe they carry a toxin?


----------



## Rick (Apr 26, 2008)

Mr Nick said:


> Im not 100% sure,but with reference to feeding crane flies-i believe they carry a toxin?


If the mantids eat them it is fine. If they take a bit then drop it then you know it is something they won't/can't eat.


----------



## macro junkie (Apr 26, 2008)

> Im not 100% sure,but with reference to feeding crane flies-i believe they carry a toxin?


im not 100% sure..i cant seee it being any harm tho..they eat pollen mostly


----------



## asdsdf (Apr 26, 2008)

Lol. Those flies are almost cute. All fat and furry. Like Winnie the Pooh.


----------



## darkspeed (Apr 26, 2008)

Kind of off topic, but I really get a big kick out of trying to decipher the british slang you UK guys throw around. The comment about looking right muppet made me ROFL.


----------



## OGIGA (Apr 26, 2008)

Mr Nick said:


> Im not 100% sure,but with reference to feeding crane flies-i believe they carry a toxin?


Last summer, I gave my mantises a ton of crane flies. They enjoyed them and lived long.


----------



## macro junkie (Apr 27, 2008)

Mr Nick said:


> Im not 100% sure,but with reference to feeding crane flies-i believe they carry a toxin?


not sure but i wasnt talking about crane flys..i was talking about dung flys..dung and crane are totally different.

this is a crane fly


----------



## bugzilla (Apr 27, 2008)

That's them alright. Ugly little buggers that only live for 24 hours as adult and dont feed in this time 'cos they don't have a mouth from what I remember.


----------

