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http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pni7471-1.html http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35622

I just did some research. Turns out that how it works is that the adult worm releases larvae into the water, which burrow into small aquatic insect larvae such as mosquitoes or chironomids, which are then either scavenged or preyed on by their next host. So the only danger from horsehair worms...

It's a horsehair worm. They adult worms live in fresh water, but in order to spread to new areas their larvae are parasitic in the guts of insects. After being ingested, the larva grows to adult size inside its host and then messes with its brain and compels it to seek a source of fresh water...

Wow I just read how big it was... 1.2 inches! That's a huge antlion! One time I had an adult emerge but it crawled into another's pit and got eaten.

They also help protect against parasites and dirt. For example the hairs on the underside of a junebug prevent soil from caking between the segments and keep mites out.

Did you notice the way they move they're antennae up and down like scissors? That's my favorite part about them. They seem to vary in size according to the size of the spider egg sac they developed in. I've seen one that was almost an inch long and another that was scarcely larger than a mosquito.

They need good drainage so putting the spleenwort in a planter on the backdrop would probably be better.

You said in the other thread that you want to incorporate ferns. Ebony Spleenwort is a good choice. It's small and it doesn't need as much moisture as other ferns.

Oh sorry

What bait did you use in the net trap?

Mantis fly larvae are parasitic on the egg sacs of spiders, so probably not practical to culture. If they would eat the parasteatoda eggsacs that abound in garages and basements maybe, but unfortunately they are specialists on certain spiders only. Not sure what kind of spider the green species...

You can also achieve the same thing with a common soda bottle. Cut the top off and invert it, then cut some rectangles out of the bottom of the cone for the flies to crawl under. Only problem is that it's difficult to remove the flies from the trap. The best way is to put it in the refrigerator...

No, that isn't egg laying. They dig burrows to spend the night in. If you see her sticking the tip of her abdomen into the substrate and pulsating, then she's ovipositing. You might want to consider putting an incandescent lightbulb over her cage. She will behave more naturally and will be more...

Yeah, they don't live long. They aren't limited to fruitflies and can tackle prey larger than themselves.

Hmm... Never thought of that. That's probably a big concern for me especially considering that they rest comfortably on the sides, so it's not a far stretch for them to be stupid enough to molt there... When mantises fall to the floor following a molt, is it generally because the lid wasn't...

Do these look like appropriate cages or a mismolt waiting to happen? Should I cover the sides with something easier to grip? (Compared to glass or a kritter keeper the plastic these containers are made of is very easy for the mantises to climb, but I don't know if that would be enough to save...

Feed 'em leaves of grape, virginia creeper or boston ivy. Sphinx moths don't present any particular challenge but they're not particularly hardy either. So keep them well ventilated and undercrowded. They pupate in soil. This this makes them harder to keep alive over the winter than cocoons or...

Actually, the adult beetles feed mainly on maggots they find within carrion, not just the carrion itself... So I imagine you could feed them on bluebottle maggots or maybe even waxworms, mealworms etc. Although their larvae require carrion so breeding them could be rather disgusting, but who...

So long as they haven't been exposed to any other captive amphibians it should be fine to release them back into suitable habitat later on.