Culturing bbf

[mantisfan101]

I have a bunch that just emerged and they’re in the fridge as of right now. How do I culture them? Obviously not like fruit flies since they can actually fly but any helpful tips?

 

[Synapze]

Watch this video for a quick summary of how BBFs are cultured. A lot of people don't have the stomach for it. It's easier to to buy them. 

 

[mantisfan101]

46 minutes ago, Synapze said:

Watch this video for a quick summary of how BBFs are cultured. A lot of people don't have the stomach for it. It's easier to to buy them. 

Ok that is an absolute nope from me and everyone else in my family. I think I’ll go back to roaches and mealworms thank you very much

 

[Synapze]

Same here! 

I've seen some ideas for chemical-free fly capturing methods. One design hangs outside and uses dog poop or rotting meat to bait them where they get trapped in a collection net. I've ordered one for next season to hang near my compost bin. I'll still order pupae, but this could be a great way to save a few bucks. 

 

[hibiscusmile]

I liked it!

 

[Lalapink]

Ok that is an absolute nope from me and everyone else in my family. I think I’ll go back to roaches and mealworms thank you very much

I thought mantis have to eat flying insects or flying insect is the best option for them. Can they live well without flying insect? 

 

[Introvertebrate]

You’ve got to wonder how much flying is actually going on inside a pint sized mantis enclosure.  I have yet to see a mantis snag a fly out of thin air.  The flies are usually just walking around on the inside of the enclosure.  For that matter, there’s no reason why you couldn’t use non-flying feeders like roaches or crickets.

 

[mantisfan101]

I think this is better moreso for emphsids whcih canbe kept communally in marge enclosures where flies can fly around. 

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

You’ve got to wonder how much flying is actually going on inside a pint sized mantis enclosure.  I have yet to see a mantis snag a fly out of thin air.  The flies are usually just walking around on the inside of the enclosure.  For that matter, there’s no reason why you couldn’t use non-flying feeders like roaches or crickets.

Crickets seem to be able to transmit diseases to mantids, so I think that is one major argument against them. Roaches obviously have a bad reputation. Because of this, I think a lot of people choose to start with flies when starting to keep mantids.