Boxelder Bugs

[sporeworld]

I visited my brother in Michigan last week and we stumbled across tons of Box Elder Bugs.

http://boxelderbug.com/

Anyone ever use them as a food source...? Size seemed about right, but that shell looked pretty off-putting.

 

[Rick]

I've used em. I say that anything is ok to try. If the mantis cannot/should not eat it they will know and drop it.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I've used em. I say that anything is ok to try. If the mantis cannot/should not eat it they will know and drop it.

NOTHING eats them here. I have one of those trees in my yard which they feed off the seeds, and during spring there's thousands. Lizards, frogs, ants, and my chickens, avoid them at all costs. They probably have some amounts of poison hidden in that brightly colored shell, they also have a pretty distinct and unpleasnt odor when grabbed/smashed. I've never tried them on a mantis though.

 

[LauraMG]

That's similar to the love bugs that I've used. Give them a try! If they aren't supposed to eat it or if it's poisonous they will drop it as Rick said

 

[Jesskb]

I had the same question and it got answered pretty in depth in my post.

Boxelders safe to use?

 

[PeterF]

My experience this month has been that they will eat them with out any ill effects. But they need to be hungry and won't eat many of them. I did not find it to be a suitable feeder, or even a decent panacea for a shortage of real feeders.

 

[sporeworld]

Thanks, guys!