Feeding Mantid nymphs aphids?

[Digger]

I'm considering harvesting a bunch of aphids from my rose bushes as feeder supplements for my Taumantis sigiana nymphs (just molted to L5).  I am a proponent of giving wild food when appropriate.  I do not know if the rose bushes were treated with insecticide during late winter, but very much doubt it.  I've read that aphids (this is the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania) can carry fungi, viruses and bacteria (although I suppose any wild insect can).

Has anyone tried using aphids as feeders?

 

[Mantidaddicted]

I'd like to know more about this as well, anyone??

 

[CosbyArt]

Yes, it has been done by multiple members. Here are a few that I pulled up from a quick forum search, as I remembered reading about it before.

• Aphids?
  
• Yellow Aphids
  
• Aphids
  
• Feeding Aphids to Gambian Spotted Eyes
  

Feel free to continue the search for many other topics too, five pages worth.

 

[Digger]

Thomas -

Thank you for these search results.  And why oh Y didn't I think to execute a search on this board??  Duh. This BBS is so chock-full of discussion history..it's like the mantis Library of Congress !

 

[Mantidaddicted]

Thomas -

Thank you for these search results.  And why oh Y didn't I think to execute a search on this board??  Duh. This BBS is so chock-full of discussion history..it's like the mantis Library of Congress !

Oh wow, so that's what that magnifying glass does at the top, lol. Thank the mantis gods for this forum !

 

[mantisman 230]

aphids are fine, especially since l5 Taumantis nymphs are so small xD.

 

[Digger]

Agreed, 230.  I'm not used to working with such a diminutive sp.  Although I did just place an order for house fly pupae (God, how I hate working with those smelly critters). Hope HFs aren't too big.  We'll see.

 

[guapoalto049]

I'll take a net cube with nymphs in it, open the zipper side fully, and drop it over a patch of grass on the lawn. Run your hand over the grass a few times and you'd be surprised how many tiny flies and gnats come out.

It takes 10 seconds to feed 50-100 nymphs at a time. I never do fruit fly cultures in the summer.

 

[CosbyArt]

Thomas -

Thank you for these search results.  And why oh Y didn't I think to execute a search on this board??  Duh. This BBS is so chock-full of discussion history..it's like the mantis Library of Congress !

Your welcome. I only thought to search as I've read it on here myself once before.

 

[Descartes]

I'll take a net cube with nymphs in it, open the zipper side fully, and drop it over a patch of grass on the lawn. Run your hand over the grass a few times and you'd be surprised how many tiny flies and gnats come out.

It takes 10 seconds to feed 50-100 nymphs at a time. I never do fruit fly cultures in the summer.

Don't you lose nymphs this way? Do you leave it there, or do you just put it down, wave the hands, and zip 'er back up?

 

[guapoalto049]

I wait until the nymphs are on top, since they usually go to the light. I don't leave the cage there, I'll just run my hand 3-4 times under the cage the zip it up. The insects typically go to the top as well

 

[guapoalto049]

It'll take a little practice but it has saved me so much time over the last 15 years