"Food" for thought

[guapoalto049]

Now that summer is fast approaching, moths are one of the most readily available food sources available. I nabbed myself a promethia moth tonight (sorry Sporeworld, I couldn't resist!!) and my female Idolo absolutely went nuts to get to it. I've never seen an Idolo actually 'hurry' to the other side of the cage for food.

All of you members that got in on the current Idolo wave should have a relatively easy time feeding your mantids. This species can be a bit picky if you don't culture bluebottles, and moths provide a great way to vary the diet and get the mantids to fatten up.

Mantids that are on the docile end of the spectrum perk right up when moths are in the area. My Deroplatys desiccata, ghosts, Heterochaeta sp., and orchids do not go after roaches as eagerly as the other species, so moths have been great for supplementation to the house/bluebottle fly diet.

Sorry its a bit of a random post, but I just wanted to share it with my fellow mantid lovers!

 

[Rick]

All mantids go nuts over moths. It is entertaining to watch.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Must be instinct, cause we know they never really see any in their cages!

 

[sporeworld]

Ulp. Gasp. p-poor Promey....



But serioulsy, I'm kinda glad to hear she went for it. I was a little afriad she wouldn't know what to do with something that size. Those things pretty big!

Gruesome as it might sound, did you get any pictures or video? Mine struggled with a large katydid, which is a little more menacing than a prometea. Wonder what she could do with a polyphemus?

I found out pincer bugs are attracted to dead flies (or fly byproduct). I hate those things. Smashed him out of reflex. Stared for a minute, then tweezered his remains over to a grateful Creo.

Also, someone metioned dragonflies in a previous post. Anyone know what they're attracted to...?

 

[sporeworld]

I think it was around this time last year that the Box Elder bugs started popping up. Even though my mantids didn't go for them, I wonder if they'd make good tweezer food?

 

[Samzo]

I usually leave windows open in the evening(warmer months...) to attract moths for that very reason, all my mantis species I've kept just love them.

 

[guapoalto049]

Some say they're built to catch flies, I think they're built to catch moths! This makes me want to culture silk moths over the winter...can anyone give any input if you have experience?

@Sporeworld: Sorry, no pictures! My camera battery is dead, my girlfriend used it all up during my college graduation last Saturday.

I've steered away from box elder bugs, I don't like the red color on them, makes me think they're not healthy.

Not sure what dragonflies are drawn to, but the ponds near my house sure produce a bunch! They aren't tough to catch if you're quick with a net, all mantids love those too.

 

[lancaster1313]

We have a love bug swarm going on here for the past week, and my daughter decided to test one out on a Carolina nymph. That nymph took a couple of bites and threw the love bug all the way across the container. :lol:

It is too bad, because there are so many of them. I didn't think that they would be very good because of their black and red coloring. The taste test definitely showed the results that I thought would happen.

 

[sporeworld]

This makes me want to culture silk moths over the winter...can anyone give any input if you have experience?

They're a lot of work and time, and not worth the payout. But "I know a guy", so pm me and I'll send you his info.

 

[alicenwnderlnd]

They're a lot of work and time, and not worth the payout. But "I know a guy", so pm me and I'll send you his info.

silk worms are a lot of work! and the moths don't fly, although there body is nice and fat.. i don't think they would be worth it. I raised some to photograph once. although they are beautiful, if i was going to work that hard for food, i would want them to fly



retouch by macromike1, on Flickr

 

[Ricardo]

Can you culture moths? Because I don't see them enough to use them as a good food source

 

[sporeworld]

I haven't seen any evidence of reliable culturing. Although, depending on the time of year, a lantern, a sheet, a wooded area and a little patience can get you A LOT of moths. But large numbers of mantids require a more consistent food source. I can't find anything more efficient than House Flies and Blue Bottles. Still looking though...

 

[Hoj13]

You can get wax worms and keep them in their container at room temperature and they will turn to smaller wax moths. Watch the humidity or they'll desiccate during pupation. Not sure of their nutritional content since they use their body stores to metamorphose but an easy treat for your mantids.