Lost my fruit flies because of a cold front. How can I feed my mantis until they repopulate?

[Kimyona]

I have a Spiny Flower Mantis. The site I bought him from didn't specify his age but I'm guessing either L3 or L4 at only about 1.5 cms. We have a cold front where I am so most of my fruit flies died and will probably continue to die.

I was wondering if ants would work. There's a lot in my backyard. I'm pretty sure they could hurt my mantis though, but he's fine with eating dead food, so maybe I could feed him dead ants? I have some house fruit flies around as well but not much and they're a pain to catch, obviously. I haven't seen regular house flies ever since the cold front started.

He's about to molt soon and just ate a lot a couple days ago so I still have a while before he needs to eat again.

 

[snuhan]

Technically ants could work fine, but I wouldn't recommend it. There's no real way to know what those ants have eaten, or what they could be carrying. Are you near a chain pet store like Petsmart? I know they sell melanogaster flies in little tubes that can last for a week or so. Local stores might as well- anywhere that sells reptiles or amphibians will probably have flies, either melanogaster or hydei.

Question, how was a cold front able to kill your flies? Do you not keep them indoors? It's the dead of winter over here, but I've yet to notice any impact even getting the flies from the store to my home. 

 

[Kimyona]

Technically ants could work fine, but I wouldn't recommend it. There's no real way to know what those ants have eaten, or what they could be carrying. Are you near a chain pet store like Petsmart? I know they sell melanogaster flies in little tubes that can last for a week or so. Local stores might as well- anywhere that sells reptiles or amphibians will probably have flies, either melanogaster or hydei.

Question, how was a cold front able to kill your flies? Do you not keep them indoors? It's the dead of winter over here, but I've yet to notice any impact even getting the flies from the store to my home. 

I do have a pet store but it's quite a bit away. I'll probably still end of going there though.

I never expected them to die, but it gets down to 65°F in my home in the middle of the night, so I guess that's too cold for them? I still don't know what's up with it.

 

[Connor]

Your ff shouldn’t die at 65... but you probably shouldn’t be keeping your mantis that cold. I’m gonna guess the culture just died out.

 

[snuhan]

I do have a pet store but it's quite a bit away. I'll probably still end of going there though.

I never expected them to die, but it gets down to 65°F in my home in the middle of the night, so I guess that's too cold for them? I still don't know what's up with it.

If the pet store isn't too much of a hassle, it'll probably be faster (and a bit more economic?) than ordering online. If they have them in the tubes, you could always buy several and put them in a larger cup. Honestly,  I would think the temperature dip should be lengthening their lifespan..?

Your ff shouldn’t die at 65... but you probably shouldn’t be keeping your mantis that cold. I’m gonna guess the culture just died out.

I agree with Connor, it's probably just that the colony happened to be at its end anyway. My room is generally around 65-70+, and my feeder insects are totally fine (and of course, I keep my mantis on a repurposed heating pad for menstrual cramps :^P).

 

[cwebster]

We have some old grapes that produce some flighted flies. I use a few of these if i get desperate. I put a deli cup above them upside down, trap a few in the cup, chill them a little, and voila.