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Mantid Discussions
General Mantid Discussions
I'm an Entomologist- ask me anything!
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<blockquote data-quote="Trundlebug" data-source="post: 282045" data-attributes="member: 8423"><p>LOL. Ahh, but my mantises love climbing on my (admittedly hairy?) arms. I don't know what it is. Bugs make a beeline for my arms!</p><p></p><p>On the honey note: Honey is often used to feed many different types of insects in labs, or even more commonly, just plain sugar water! Fruit is also a very common thing to feed. Insects can turn sugar into energy very easily. (Table sugar and honey also have an identical chemical structure -- essentially they're the same thing -- and fructose is also easy for them to break down.)</p><p></p><p>Non-predatory insects in particular love sugars. That's what most pollinator species are after when they go dunking their head in flowers -- the nectar. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> </p><p></p><p>Of course, just like us, insects need a variety of nutrients besides just sucrose, but it is a huge source of energy for them. For a predator like a mantid, you're exactly right -- it makes a wonderful snack and also a kind of 'sick meal' that is easy to digest for energy. Hemolymph (insect blood) is probably also a wonderful sick meal, but they probably wouldn't find that as immediately attractive.</p><p></p><p>Insects have immune systems, just like us, and raw honey does have antibacterial properties! I will have to get back to you on paper searches -- there is a lab next door that works on bees, so I'll ask their opinions too.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Trundlebug, post: 282045, member: 8423"] LOL. Ahh, but my mantises love climbing on my (admittedly hairy?) arms. I don't know what it is. Bugs make a beeline for my arms! On the honey note: Honey is often used to feed many different types of insects in labs, or even more commonly, just plain sugar water! Fruit is also a very common thing to feed. Insects can turn sugar into energy very easily. (Table sugar and honey also have an identical chemical structure -- essentially they're the same thing -- and fructose is also easy for them to break down.) Non-predatory insects in particular love sugars. That's what most pollinator species are after when they go dunking their head in flowers -- the nectar. :) Of course, just like us, insects need a variety of nutrients besides just sucrose, but it is a huge source of energy for them. For a predator like a mantid, you're exactly right -- it makes a wonderful snack and also a kind of 'sick meal' that is easy to digest for energy. Hemolymph (insect blood) is probably also a wonderful sick meal, but they probably wouldn't find that as immediately attractive. Insects have immune systems, just like us, and raw honey does have antibacterial properties! I will have to get back to you on paper searches -- there is a lab next door that works on bees, so I'll ask their opinions too. [/QUOTE]
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Mantid Discussions
General Mantid Discussions
I'm an Entomologist- ask me anything!
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