Mantis substrate.

[OGIGA]

Do you guys use dried sphagnum moss or live ones?

 

[Peekaboo]

Go ahead and use dried, they can easily be bought by the bag at nurseries. Just make sure to mist them once/twice a day, depending on how dry the climate is where you live.

 

[OGIGA]

Hmm, so no soaking or anything? Only misting?

 

[Peekaboo]

I like to give it a good soak and squeeze off the excess when I first put it in the enclosure, and I do the same whenever I change out the moss.

 

[OGIGA]

Ah, sounds like a good idea.

I just came back from Ace Hardware and they are selling then in packs of 7 liters for $5.79 or so. Is that a reasonable price or can I do better elsewhere?

Ace is also selling lady bugs ($7.99) and oothecas (probably Chinese) ($9.99/2-pack).

 

[Rick]

I use moist spaghnum moss. About a half an inch deep. It comes in a dried "loaf" sold at big box hardware stores as orchid moss.

Hey Rick,

Do you ever have problems with feeders burrowing into the moss and hiding from the mantis?

Yeah but it's not a big deal. They always come back out.

 

[Peekaboo]

I use moist spaghnum moss. About a half an inch deep. It comes in a dried "loaf" sold at big box hardware stores as orchid moss.

Hey Rick,

Do you ever have problems with feeders burrowing into the moss and hiding from the mantis?

Yeah but it's not a big deal. They always come back out.

Cool thanks Rick! One year and five months later .....

 

[wuwu]

better late than never.

 

[Peekaboo]

Yes I was just kidding around with him.

 

[bubforever]

I use moist spaghnum moss. About a half an inch deep. It comes in a dried "loaf" sold at big box hardware stores as orchid moss.

Hey Rick,

Do you ever have problems with feeders burrowing into the moss and hiding from the mantis?

Yeah but it's not a big deal. They always come back out.

What about for the nymphs, you have to feed them smaller food so wouldn't it be almost impossible for the mantis to find the food?

 

[nepenthes_ak]

What if i can get live moss to grow would that be ok?

Probably not sphagnum that takes allot of water, and peat too. (I might be up for it though) But common yard moss (I know its different but im talking the stuff you see growing in soil and on rocks (a generalization)?

 

[OGIGA]

Hmm, sphagnum has a lot more surface area so my intuition tells me that you're going to need a lot more of the other kind of moss.

 

[nepenthes_ak]

i can get sphagnum no problem (I grow Carnivorous plants) So its easy for me to get it its just the question could it get to humid?

 

[captainmerkin]

My first one is set up for young mantis (got a tiny orchid mantis in there now, but hes going back in a cup till bigger).

its 18cm by 18cm wooden base and roof, 3 sides netted with nylon mesh from worldwidebutterflies, and front side has double hinged door made of perspex, held shut with selotape for now.

Bottom edge is raised with wood and sealed with silicon sealant, then has around an inch of general purpose compost with a shade resistant fern growing there, fake flower bunged into it. Will post picture when I have internet at home again!

 

[Rick]

I have used a lot of substrates. The spaghnum has worked the best. With small mantids that eat fruit flies it's not a problem as the flies don't go under the moss. For small crickets I put a stick or something in there and the cricket will climb up to the top where the mantis ususally is.