Chinese Mantids + questionable food

[Nicolas]

I've heard and seen that this mantis is ridiculously aggressive and LARGE as well (So much so to the point where they've been videoed killing and eating Asian Giant hornets) so I was wondering if this species would be able to eat some scorpions that wander around where I live. They're obviously small scorpions (The largest one I've seen was only 5 centimeters MAX) so I was wondering if the chinese mantids would easily destroy these things when they were adults. These scorpions are also small enough to where Latrodectus spiders in my area kill and eat them with ease (Black widows are quite small and have often times been eaten by mantids smaller than the chinese mantis) 

I know a scorpion isn't exactly the most risk-free food you can give to a mantis but I was wondering if it would be able to take care of them. I've fed Iris Oratoria mantids these scorpions before (albeit when the socrpions weren't adults) and they took and ate them like pigs, so yeah, any thoughts?  

 

[River Dane]

I would never recommend feeding your mantis anything that has even the slightest potential of killing the killer. But if you want to feed your mantis a scorpion, I would suggest removing the telson, and offering it to your mantis facing its claws away. But never leave the scorpion and the mantis alone together.

Good luck!

 

[Nicolas]

I would never recommend feeding your mantis anything that has even the slightest potential of killing the killer. But if you want to feed your mantis a scorpion, I would suggest removing the telson, and offering it to your mantis facing its claws away. But never leave the scorpion and the mantis alone together.

Good luck!

I have absolutely no doubt that these scorpions would be no match for the mantids because their pinchers are very slim, and these scorpions are also not much bigger than the average cockroach either. My main concern was if a mantis would bother eating it once it's caught - I've seen videos/pictures/experienced mantids catching questionable foods and then dropping them shortly after due to something. 

 

[Synapze]

Personally, I wouldn't feed my cheapest and least liked mantis anything that I doubted was safe enough for it to tackle. I learned the hard way. ?

I guess it all boils down to one question: How much do you like your mantis? 

Hope it goes well whatever you decide. ?

 

[Mantis Lady]

I don't think I will feed any of my mantids scorpions. I would say keep it to insects.. We don't have scorpions here gladly enough.

 

[River Dane]

@Nicolas That’s fine then! If your past mantids could tackle them, it might be worth trying under supervision. I would still strongly suggest removing the stinger, though.

 

[danl82]

General rule of thumb with scorpions is usually the thin, weak clawed species have some of he most potent poison. They are very flexible and rather accurate with that tail. Even if your mantid caught and ripped it apart, it would probably only take one quick flick of the tail to take your mantis with it.