Introduction: Hi I'm Lucy.

[Lucy]

Hi mantidforum.net, I'm a new mantid pet owner in California and happy to find this lively community to support enjoyment of my new hobby.

Warm regards to all here.

 

[Rick]

Welcome

 

[Sarah K]

welcome!

 

[CosbyArt]

Hello Lucy and welcome to the forum

If you are already a mantid pet owner, what species do you have? Any pictures?

 

[hibiscusmile]

Welcome!

 

[MantisGalore]

Welcome!!

 

[Lucy]

Hi!

I think its a tenodoro sinensis. Its a cute little bug with a funny personality. Im worried about feeding it but will keep reading to find the best way. It ate an aphid yesterday but passed them over today. I gotta get some fruit flys. I have a trap set up and hope for a couple tomorrow. its funny to wish for fruit flys and aphids.

 

[CosbyArt]

Hi!

I think its a tenodoro sinensis. Its a cute little bug with a funny personality.

...

I gotta get some fruit flys. I have a trap set up and hope for a couple tomorrow. its funny to wish for fruit flys and aphids.

Tenodera sinensis are great and they are one of the biggest native species. For specifics about the species here is the caresheet, and here as well. I keep the species too normally, and so do many others here, so feel free to ask any questions. To help ID your species did you hatch it from a ootheca? If so take a look at the photo I attached at the end as it will help.

Sounds like you are getting involved with the hobby to make such a statement. I know I drove my wife nuts talking like that, and especially when I purchase insects like that when most people purchase chemicals to kill them. Anymore she ignores me and doesn't get surprised about anything, but is holding her ground on no roaches.

To trap wild fruit flies the best trick I learned was to take a 32oz deli-cup and cut a large circle out of the middle of the lid. Cover that with standard window screen mesh (if you have aluminum mesh it will keep out beetles or other chewing insects too), the mesh has plenty of room for fruit flies to enter, but keeps about everything else out.

For bait a peeled ripe banana, or the rinds off a watermelon or cantaloupe work great. Place the cup outside in a warm/sunny area to draw the most flies and within a few days you should have plenty of them inside. To trap them just replace the screen lid with a lid that has a fine mesh like a coffee filter, organza fabric, or a pre-made insect lid. Just swap the lids fast and you should trap most inside.

If you put a few inches of fruit in the cup to start with, you can leave it as is for a makeshift fly culture once you have them trapped for a week or two. Or if you want to culture them you can use the flies to start new cultures and trap some more outside. In the summertime I have even managed to trap them inside my house, as we tend to keep lots of fresh fruit and the flies can be a common sight.

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[Lucy]

Thanks for all that! Yes I have a Chinese mantis thanks a lot for the ff tips, that really helps! I will do it as you say.

 

[CosbyArt]

Thanks for all that! Yes I have a Chinese mantis thanks a lot for the ff tips, that really helps! I will do it as you say.

Glad to see you know the species for certain now, it helps. You welcome and best of luck.