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I set up Butterfly bushes last year to attract feeders.  That particular species of plant (or numerous species) did a terrific job luring various types of butterfly and bee.  I won't harvest bees for mantis food (as we all know, something's up with the honeybee population), but captured lots of...

I am generally very careful what I feed my mantids - particularly youngsters.  Thus, almost always stick closely to the tried-and-true: Drosophila melanogasters, / Hydei, houseflies, damselflies (yum), etc., for L2 - L4.  I learned (through numerous trials and ::errors::) that caterpillars, or...

Like Team says - be sure the plant hasn't been treated with insecticides!!  Otherwise, aphids YUM !  (They're full of sugary goo).

CS - I've raised Tenodera s. for seven years.  Your experience so far is pretty standard.  If you have a lot of nymphs in one container, and they are still L1 or L2, they will eat less often due to stress (of sharing the container).  If you have separated each nymph to his own container: 1...

Yup. I also think this is more DNA mishap than stuck exoskeleton.  Poor Liu (amputee) can maneuver to catch food (even though her raptors are ok). She's getting very thin, so will probably have to put her in the freezer.

Azblue - you're probably right.  I was forced to partially amputate another nymph's back legs, as they were completely bound to the shed exoskeleton.  Very frustrating..

Kermit:  I use "Tupperware" food containers with a stocking material stretched over the top.  Have used this "condo" design for years with great success (for up to L4 of larger sp.). Here are 2 pictures -

I've experienced an unusual number of molting problems with my recent Tenodera sinensis hatch.  Of the 8 nymphs I kept, 3 have molted to L2 or L3 with a rear leg malformation.  Having successfully raised Chinese mantids for years, I'm careful about living quarters size (3x or more height) and...

Very difficult to suggest a specific number (it's random in nature too).  But at this stage of development, probably 1/2 a dozen or so per feeding.  I feed every other day and mist according to the species natural habitat (desert - less; jungle - more).  Prosperina is right on. Keep a visual...

Qiji is doing fine, thanks. He easily molted to L2 and is energetic and plump.!

This is Qiji.  The term roughly translates from simple Chinese to English as "Miracle."   18 days ago, I had a Tenodera sinensis hatch in a Kritter Keeper (screened).  I picked out eleven newborns as keepers.  The rest I kept in the KK - misted and fed for a few days.  As expected most found...

Ants. Bad.  They're aggressive, have dangerous mandibles and many species have stingers and or formic acid defenses.  And, as guapoalto049 mentions: they offer very little nutrition. 

My wild-harvested Tenodera sinesis ooth has hatched during the wee-hours this morning!  Lots of curious newborns running about and escaping into the new world.  The hatch came earlier than expected and my Drosophila melanogasters won't be here for 4 days or so.  So the scramble begins to find...

I've raised many different species, but Tenodera sinensis is still my far-ahead favorite.  How lucky you're in Florida.  Here in Eastern Pennsylvania, T. sinensis is just starting to come into season and wild ooths should be producing in another 2 weeks.  Was lucky enough to find an ooth a few...

Attached??  Hmmm; you might say so...

How I love T. sinensis! I say they have the best personalities of any of 'em.  :clap: This is sub-adult male Orion happily watching TV, a few years ago:

@KevinsWither  She's a Taumantis sigiana, Kevin.  Indigenous to Kenya and Tanzania.

With some of my pets -- particularly my very communicative T. sinesis, I could tell when they were suffering at the end (some would last well over a year). At that point I'd put them in the freezer for a quick departure.  :(

Mizar has been a little ooth factory.  Here she gobbles down a fresh, fat cricket after she (Mizar) finished producing her fourth egg case.  What a terrible shame all these ooths are infertile.  Try as I may, I found this sp. impossible to mate.

@Mraw  Same here.  I've used meal worms for years in a pinch (got a bunch right now).  Have always snipped off the heads first to let the yummy goo exude and bring it up to the mantid's mouth.  My first (and most hated) choice is crickets.  Just not much else readily available here in the cold...