Are Box Elder Bugs Poisonous?

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Gwan-Thwei

Gwan-Thwei

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So, as it turns out, it's hard for me to get bugs for my mantis directly from my backyard. I never really thought the large amount of birds would affect the number of grasshoppers i get, but it turns out they eat most anything my mantis eats.

However, since i live up by the Rocky Mountains, i get a lot of boxelder bugs. And i mean a LOT. Trouble is, i'm not sure if these things are toxic for my mantis. I can't find any source saying that they are, but you never know. If they're not, they would make for a good, steady food source.

 
I haven't been able to find any source stating whether they are toxic or not but I did find this testimonial on bugguide.net

"there are female (seed pods) Box-Elder trees (Acer negundo) nearby. The best control is to remove the trees. The only predation I've seen was by Polistes dominulus, the wasps would carve them up and only use a small portion. I suspect that the bugs have a toxic effect, a captive Starling that ate three expired in about 24 hours. When the numbers became excessive, I used a mild solution (2-5%) of the anionic detergent Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate as a spray on the congregations. Using insecticides on the trees only reduces the populations for a short time and impacts other insect species.

 
I've tried giving a few box elders to my Chinese and European mantids. The European took one bite and went "Ugh! Gross!" and threw it away. The Chinese ones ate the box elders, but later they threw up a little bit. So it's not a food source I would recommend, though it would be nice since they're all over my house as well.

 
My Ghosts had eaten them with no problems, I suppose it depends on the species.

 
I read somewhere that they're not poisonous, they only smell bad, but i'd rather not try anything unless i'm 100% sure. The last thing i want is to poison my mantis by accident.

 
"Some species of spiders will eat boxelders as will praying mantis. Leave any spider webs intact near an infestation. Praying mantis are incredible predators that patiently stalk their prey then use their spiked front legs to snare it."

"I'm not sure what nasty juices create toxicity in Boxelder Bugs, but apparently they are foul to eat."

"However, boxelder bugs are redolent and will release a pungent and bad-tasting compound upon being disturbed to discourage predation; this allows them to form conspicuous aggregations without being preyed on"

"Although box elder bugs do have "biting" mouthparts, and a few people have reported being "bitten," they have no poisons or toxins"

?????

 
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Just try. If the mantis cannot/should not eat something it will simply drop it.

 
Well, he gobbled up one of the red baby ones like there was no tomorrow, and so far he looks okay. I'll try to get some other bugs for him just for variety's sake though.

(If this works, i might be able to get him to shed early so he can walk again)

 
Rick said:
Just try. If the mantis cannot/should not eat something it will simply drop it.
Click to expand...
I would be careful about feeding stink bugs and similar bugs to your mantis. Some species be able to handle it and do fine like the ghost mantis, but some might die. I think I read that a person fed a stink bug to an adult male Hierodula patellifera and it died after that (I think a few days later?). I cannot remember where I read that and I am not certain if I remember correctly. I have fed stink bugs to Tenodera sinensis and they did not seem to do well after that, always irritated and did not eat very well after that and did not eat for at least a day, maybe longer I do not remember.

 
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i fed three wild T. sinensis boxelder bugs the last two days and theyre doing just fine. I think its more lightning bugs that they shouldnt eat, not so much boxelders.

 

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