Mealworms

[garin33]

Hello All,

I have a question regarding mealworms for feeding mantids.

Back when I was kid, the only thing they had around that was easy to get from pet stores was mealworms. You would buy a small container, put them in the fridge and I would feed my wild caught mantids these and it worked fine.

I notice on the forum that it appears that most of you don't use mealworms. I hear mainly about flys, crickets, roaches.

Is there any particular reason that mealworms are not used as much today? Maybe nutritional value or something like that.

Thank you! I have enjoyed reading all the posts.

Garin

 

[Chivalry]

I use them, but not as a main food source. They (and wax worms, which I prefer) are a great filler when you're waiting for flies to hatch, or whatever.

 

[garin33]

Thank you Chivalry for your reply.

I have been reading other websites that also mention what you said. I guess mealworms are very high in fat and don't have as much nutritional value as the other feeders. Like I mentioned, when I was a kid, I raised a Mantis completely on meal worms and it seemed to live a pretty long life, had ooths etc. However, I realize now that it was probably not as healthy as it could have been.

Thanks!

 

[hibiscusmile]

yea, thats why they are not a staple, eating fast food, heartattack!

 

[twolfe]

I agree with what Chivalry said, though I've had some issues with feeding waxworms to small mantis.

I've been raising mealworms for years to feed the birds. I give them to my mantids as a treat now and then and use them as emergency food. I use bb flies and other wild caught flying insects (in the summer) as the main diet for my older nymphs, sub adults and adults.

My wahlbergii females love mealworms. I remove the head and hand them to them. I usually only give them mealworms about once a week unless I run out of flies and am not able to catch any insects outside. My last original female wahlbergii just died. She was about 11 months old. But I lost a female wahlbergii prematurely after I gave her a waxworm. She got sick and never ate again. I don't raise waxworms, but if I buy any, I only give them to the larger species.

 

[mantid_mike]

I agree with what Chivalry said, though I've had some issues with feeding waxworms to small mantis.

I've been raising mealworms for years to feed the birds. I give them to my mantids as a treat now and then and use them as emergency food. I use bb flies and other wild caught flying insects (in the summer) as the main diet for my older nymphs, sub adults and adults.

My wahlbergii females love mealworms. I remove the head and hand them to them. I usually only give them mealworms about once a week unless I run out of flies and am not able to catch any insects outside. My last original female wahlbergii just died. She was about 11 months old. But I lost a female wahlbergii prematurely after I gave her a waxworm. She got sick and never ate again. I don't raise waxworms, but if I buy any, I only give them to the larger species.

Hey Tammy, why do you remove the head? I tried feeding all my mantids mealworms last night since i'm waiting for my BB to arrive, but the only one that could handle them was my B. Mendica. The only way I got the others to eat was to just cut the worm in half and use tweezers to feed them.

 

[twolfe]

Hey Tammy, why do you remove the head? I tried feeding all my mantids mealworms last night since i'm waiting for my BB to arrive, but the only one that could handle them was my B. Mendica. The only way I got the others to eat was to just cut the worm in half and use tweezers to feed them.

I don't have to remove the head for the larger species (Rhomboderas, etc). But it seems to work better with the small to medium species. When I remove the head, I place the white gooey stuff near their mouth. If I haven't fed them mealworms, I give them a taste. This is usually how I get them started to take mealworms. I do this with the b mendica, too. Otherwise, I think some species would ignore the mealworms crawling around.

 

[Chivalry]

Agreed. Most mantids seem to need a little coaxing to take creepy crawlies but I like to get them used to it as a food source. I think it's a really handy food to give an aggressive female to keep her from thinking about the male on her back

 

[mantid_mike]

I don't have to remove the head for the larger species (Rhomboderas, etc). But it seems to work better with the small to medium species. When I remove the head, I place the white gooey stuff near their mouth. If I haven't fed them mealworms, I give them a taste. This is usually how I get them started to take mealworms. I do this with the b mendica, too. Otherwise, I think some species would ignore the mealworms crawling around.

i put the gooey stuff near their mouth. worked like a charm. :stuart:

 

[Rick]

I don't use them because most mantids are not interested in such things unless hand fed. I also do not believe they're the best nutritionally.

 

[gripen]

My mealworms chewed there way out of there thick plastic cage and got all over the bug room. Won't be using them again...