Flying roaches

[Reeves]

Has anyone ever tried breeding flying roach species,such as little green roaches (Panchlora nivea), for feeding Gongys or other mantids that prefer flying food? Will this hender female Gongys from producing oothecae?

 

[Reeves]

No ones tried it? :?

 

[Obie]

Well, even roaches that can fly aren't exactly the kind of "flying insects" that gonys are into. G. gongylodes prefers insects that spend a good amount of time flying around and aren't very large, like houseflies, bees and moths. Roaches usually only fly for short distances and even then, usually just to escape predators or brake their fall.

 

[infinity]

This is what I dn't get... why would it make any difference whatsoever?! All insects are fundamentally made up of the same components so why does it matter if the protein/ chitin etc comes from a bee or from a gut loaded cricket on a string?! Protein is protein and even if a cricket does have more chitin or whatever, what difference will it make? (it'll just poo more that's all )

 

[PseudoDave]

Well it's not just down to protein. Gongys like flying food because it's what they're adapted to catch, but the flying insects (it is my understanding) such as the fly, wasp, moth etc, all also contain more sugars, also flight muscles (that are actually used for mobility, not just evasion), very nutritious, yum yum. If 'it'll just poo more', then maybe the food had too higher ratio of protein (or otherwise) over the other ingredients? If a mantis is getting a whole ton of protein (or any animal for that matter) but not much of the other important stuff, then it's out of balance and not healthy.

Dave