# Lid material



## Brauner1 (Sep 29, 2015)

What would be the easiest material for the lid surface to hang to to prevent my mantis (3-5 cm long) from falling during or after a molt?


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## CosbyArt (Sep 29, 2015)

Brauner1 said:


> What would be the easiest material for the lid surface to hang to to prevent my mantis (3-5 cm long) from falling during or after a molt?


Everyone seems to use a fiberglass/poly screen mesh material, or aluminum to prevent them from biting through it. If you have a sensitive mantid such as a Idolomantis, shelf liner material works best. You can see all of that and more here.


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## Brauner1 (Sep 29, 2015)

What about paper towel? The hole can be on the side of the plastic cup.


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## CosbyArt (Sep 29, 2015)

Brauner1 said:


> What about paper towel? The hole can be on the side of the plastic cup.


Paper towel will work, but a better material that is similar, is the white paper coffee filters (also listed on the link above). As the coffee filter holds it's strength when wet, even numerous times (where a paper towel will get hard and brittle after it dries a few times). Both will however need to be eventually replaced as they will get tears/rips with age.

What hole are you referring to exactly? If it is for ventilation you are better putting ventilation on top so any excess humidity can escape. If it is a feeding hole, indeed they are usually put on the side and likely the best place for them (keeps a mantid from being too interested in it too).


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## Brauner1 (Sep 29, 2015)

*holes as in ventilation.i have a plastic box with holes on top. But i want to be sure it wont fall again after molt. Or should that material be holed together with the lid?


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## Brauner1 (Sep 29, 2015)

Also i meant what material to glue/stick to the underside of the plastic lid to make it less slippery so it wont fall. I didnt think of using a material alone as the whole lid.


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## CosbyArt (Sep 29, 2015)

Brauner1 said:


> *holes as in ventilation.i have a plastic box with holes on top. But i want to be sure it wont fall again after molt. Or should that material be holed together with the lid?





Brauner1 said:


> Also i meant what material to glue/stick to the underside of the plastic lid to make it less slippery so it wont fall. I didnt think of using a material alone as the whole lid.


Same material underneath if you are layering. A fiberglass/poly mesh is one of the best and most common. The best for gripping is the shelf liner material as shown in the guide, here is a link to it at Walmart - it does block a lot of light though, so side lighting will have to be used for the habitat.

Indeed a single large ventilation opening is the most common, as it solves the mantid gripping and ventilation all in one (and the below issues too). If you do small multiple openings for ventilation, it is useful for mantids that require high humidity; however, if you mantid doesn't require high humidity it can cause health issues (especially with molting). Also you must be careful with high humidity as it allows excess mold/fungus growth which can also lead to bacterial build-up as well.


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## MantisMatt14 (Sep 30, 2015)

The fabric on the deli container tops is one of the best materials. Never had a mis molt with it.


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## sbugir (Sep 30, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Same material underneath if you are layering. A fiberglass/poly mesh is one of the best and most common. The best for gripping is the shelf liner material as shown in the guide, here is a link to it at Walmart - it does block a lot of light though, so side lighting will have to be used for the habitat.
> 
> Indeed a single large ventilation opening is the most common, as it solves the mantid gripping and ventilation all in one (and the below issues too). If you do small multiple openings for ventilation, it is useful for mantids that require high humidity; however, if you mantid doesn't require high humidity it can cause health issues (especially with molting). Also you must be careful with high humidity as it allows excess mold/fungus growth which can also lead to bacterial build-up as well.


Is the shelf liner fine enough to prevent house flies and blue bottles from escaping?


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## CosbyArt (Sep 30, 2015)

lemmiwinks said:


> Is the shelf liner fine enough to prevent house flies and blue bottles from escaping?


I wouldn't trust it to keep in flies, as some brands can have rather large openings; however, if you are layering it like Brauner1 (regular mesh over the top) the other layer stops any escapes.


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## sbugir (Oct 1, 2015)

I will give this a go! Thanks for the suggestion  .


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## Deacon (Oct 30, 2015)

Thomas,

All my nymph cups have organza fabric as the lid cover. Nymphs are between L3 and L5. One molted on his stick, one molted on the side at the top (budwings) and the Hierodula molted this morning but I don't know where as her molt was on the ground. All nymphs molted perfectly.

As they grow, do they *have to have* a sturdier lid material or can I just leave the organza? I pre-made a few future lids with a square of shelf liner in the center of organza but am wondering if they'll really need them?

Thanks,

Nancy

In your DIY habitat post, my cups look like your organza lidded one.


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## CosbyArt (Nov 1, 2015)

Deacon said:


> Thomas,
> 
> All my nymph cups have organza fabric as the lid cover. Nymphs are between L3 and L5. One molted on his stick, one molted on the side at the top (budwings) and the Hierodula molted this morning but I don't know where as her molt was on the ground. All nymphs molted perfectly.
> 
> ...


Glad to hear your mantids all molted fine. The organzia works just as well for adults too, I've kept many species with it as the lid material. As long as the fabric is glued tight and the habitat is large enough to house them, no need to change anything.


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## Deacon (Nov 9, 2015)

Thomas, that's good to know, thanks.

Nancy


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## SillySnake (Jan 4, 2016)

I thought about using gauze bandage to line the lid of a 32oz deli cup. Will this provide enough ventilation and grip? What about humidity, would that be an issue? I know it probably won't do for an adult mantis, but I intend on moving it over to a different container once it grows older. But would it do for a nymph?


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 4, 2016)

just a strip of gauze it is fine.


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