Hierodula Membranacea rarely eating?

[laitma]

Hello, I have an adult female Hierodula Membranacea mantis who hasn't been eating very regularly.  She laid an ootheca a month or so ago but even a little while after that still had a large appetite--I was feeding her 2 crickets a day or so. 

But several weeks back I noticed she wasn't really eating and there were a few streaks of vomit in her cage.  I read around on the forum and tried giving her some honey--she ate a cricket the day after, but since then she still hasn't eaten much at all, I think to date only 2 crickets in three weeks or so.  I'm not sure what the cause is, it's gotten colder of late (I live in Pasadena, CA) or if she's just getting old, but any tips/advice would be helpful!  She seems healthy otherwise, just doesn't seem to show much interest in the crickets that I leave for her.  Should I try an alternative food source?  More honey?  

 

[Synapze]

Hi laitma - What temperature are you keeping her enclosure? Are you able to get some blue bottle flies? You may want to consider trying some blue bottle flies and lay off the crickets if possible, especially if you are seeing brown streaks in her enclosure. Have you noticed if she's been drinking regularly? 

She seems healthy otherwise, just doesn't seem to show much interest in the crickets that I leave for her.

If you're leaving crickets in her enclosure you should probably remove them if she ignores them. If she's gets weak the crickets could harm her, at the least they may be causing her stress. See if you can find her a couple of flying insects to see if she shows more interest. ?

Keep us posted. 

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

Yes I would say leave of the crickets too... Sometimes they carry desease and as much as possible you shoud implement other feeder insects (I use crickets in conjunction with other insects).

 

[laitma]

Thank you guys very much for the advice!  

I caught a fly outside last night and gave it to her; she definitely showed a lot of interest in it!  She tried to catch it several time but wasn't quite experienced at it yet; I went to bed but this morning I see no fly so I'm assuming she's eaten it!  She's looking good, alert as usual.  I'll try again tonight--maybe with two flies.

I had a question, are wild-caught flies fine (do they also possibly carry disease?  We have a lot of cats outside in our area so flies are also abundant, probably feeding off of their poo haha), or would it be better for me to stick to purchased/farmed bluebottle flies?  I was planning to drive out this weekend to pick up some bluebottle flies if I couldn't find any in my yard, but so far I was surprised at how easy it was for me to find/catch flies outside at night so I was wondering if I should just stick to that...

 

[MantisGirl13]

I hope that she ate it! I feed my mantids wild flies so they are fine most of the time.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

I don't give mine mantids crickets anymore. Instead I use grasshoppers and dubias.. And fat juicy flies. I have bought mine because outside you don't see insects anymore.

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

Yeah I set one of mine by the compost pile and she ate 3 wild flies in a heartbeat!

 

[Mantis Lady]

Yeah I set one of mine by the compost pile and she ate 3 wild flies in a heartbeat! 

free flies ?Aurene devoured them this morning after her molt

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

I caught a fly outside last night and gave it to her; she definitely showed a lot of interest in it!  She tried to catch it several time 

How did you catch them?

 

[laitma]

How did you catch them?

They're very easy to find outside at night since they're "sleeping" on the high ends of vines/leaves; I just scoop them into a cup!  I put 'em in the fridge for a bit to slow 'em down then just toss them into my mantis' cage!

 

[MantisGirl13]

That is a good way to catch them! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

Maybe I should switch off crickets. 

There's a great fish & reptile place in a few miles down thats might sell grasshoppers and fly larvae. Time to learn, and hope our Lola lasts a bit. ?

 

[laitma]

Gave her four flies and saw her eating one last night-!  She acted a bit defensive around them vs. actively hungry (I'm thinking she might be getting ready to lay another ooth?? her belly's pretty big) but this morning all were gone and she seems plump and happy~ 

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I'll keep on feeding her flies now-! 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I'm glad that she is eating well! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

Hey by the way laitma, I used your method to catch 15 or so ff (d. h.) not melangsters so thanks!

 

[Mantis Lady]

Good your H. membranacea is eatng good now?

 

[laitma]

Hey by the way laitma, I used your method to catch 15 or so ff (d. h.) not melangsters so thanks!

Ahahaha I'm glad to hear that-!!  It's fun when you can find which plants the flies prefer--the ones around my yard seem to love my basil.