Adding feeder insects to compost bins...

[Joe Caruso]

I have a compost box in my garden that is teeming with fruit flies and all kinds of bugs.

I was wondering if there were any feeder insects/worms that I could introduce to it and that would do well in there?

Looking for something that would thrive without affecting the other bugs, and not ruin the compost.

 

[macro junkie]

I have a compost box in my garden that is teeming with fruit flies and all kinds of bugs. I was wondering if there were any feeder insects/worms that I could introduce to it and that would do well in there?

Looking for something that would thrive without affecting the other bugs, and not ruin the compost.

spingtails and fruit flys will thrive in the bin.alot of hasstle tho trying to collect them..this is why most use cultures.

 

[idolomantis]

yes it will be hard to get them out WHITHOUT there escaping...

i would say... use cultures just before feeding you put the flies in the fridge for 5 mins, then you can collect the amount you need and trow them

in the mantids enclosure. flier become active again and mantis grab them

 

[Joe Caruso]

I've tried catching fruit flies from from the compost box and haven't had any problems. There's so many of them all I do is sweep a cup through the inside of the box and I usually end up with a few.

What are springtails and where in the UK would I be able to order some?

I've been told that mealworms might work.

 

[Joe Caruso]

I've tried catching fruit flies from from the compost box and haven't had any problems. There's so many of them all I do is sweep a cup through the inside of the box and I usually end up with a few. What are springtails and where in the UK would I be able to order some?

I've been told that mealworms might work.

I just went out and took another look in there and it's a bloody treasure trove. Other than the fruit flies, there's spiders (which are ok to feed mantids right?) woodlice (which unless I'm mistaken are not ok), regular flies and also these other kind I can't identify. They're black, about 15-18mm long, slim, and with these two little pointy antenna things coming out of there rear ends. Could they be earwigs?

 

[bugzilla]

I just went out and took another look in there and it's a bloody treasure trove. Other than the fruit flies, there's spiders (which are ok to feed mantids right?) woodlice (which unless I'm mistaken are not ok), regular flies and also these other kind I can't identify. They're black, about 15-18mm long, slim, and with these two little pointy antenna things coming out of there rear ends. Could they be earwigs?

All those would be OK. Woodlice aren't suitable because they are too well armoured.

The black slim ones do sound like Earwigs to me. I'm sure a mantis will eat these but they will quickly hide under the substrate in the enclosure where the mantis can't get at them.

To trap some of the bugs cut the top few inches off a pop bottle and turn it inside out to make a funnel. Put some well ripened banana in the bottom and put this in the compost bin.