Feeder nematodes

[Ben10101]

Mantis generally avoid the gut contents when they eat, and when mine finished eating today and left over a pile of digested food of the red runner roach I noticed little wriggling nematodes in it.

Anyone else got this problem before? How do I get out of this? Are they going to be a threat or health concern?

 

[Synapze]

Most mantids do consume the guts. I've never seen a mantis not eat the guts... most seem to prefer them. Strange. 

Beneficial nematodes (used for garden pest control) generally can't be seen with the naked eye, so it's most likely a parasitic nematode. 

Personally, assuming this batch of roaches were stored with or from the same colony, I'd toss them. I wouldn't take the risk, but I have been called overly cautious.

If you have doubts, throw them out. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I don't know much about nematodes, but I wouldn't risk it because they could be dangerous to your mantids.

- MantisGirl13

 

[FeistyMcGrudle]

That is very interesting. 

I have no advice but thank you for sharing this!

 

[Ben10101]

A little update, someone suggested to me that they might be phoronid flys, they lay eggs into poop and other things, and some parasitise insects, like crickets. Make me wonder, I remember seeing some small flies for a while in my room, and also inside of the bin. Makes me wonder, could it be the answer? This can expalin why it seems like the roach seem to have lots of poop in the, and the flies I see in the bin. They shoun't bee harmful to the mantis if they do turn out to be so, cause the adults are what parasitises things, and they wouldn't be able to get to my mantises. Could also come in handy in controlling my roach population and function as a extra feeder insect