My new babies! :)

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I buy big bags of sphagnum moss for the orchids I grow, I'll have to post pic's of my orchids soon. :)

I was checking out Yen's, website & I read that he had seen his orchid mantis eat banana? I just had to try this for myself, Well they love it! lol They get all the water they want in they're cages. Maybe they need the potassium in the banana?

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What in the!?!? I never seen that before, totally amazing. Maybe I should try to gutload bugs with bananas.

 
, I'm not allowed to buy online, hmmm I was at my garden center yesterday and that orchid moss did kinda look like sphagnum....maybe....
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The stuff I buy is called orchid moss and it is spaghnum. It's used for orchid flowers is why they call it that.

 
Rick,

Is right! :) I'm one of those weird orchid grows lol This is one of many things why I wanted the Orchid mantis, They look like some species of orchid.

These are some of the orchids I bloomed last year! :) Plus a pic of the moss.

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I know... Weird? If I get banana on my hands, It looks like they are licking my hand. Weird!

 
Awww i miss when they were little and pink like that. Great pictures of them... The Orchid flowers are beautiful!

You can try a lot of stuff. Sponges are the easiest.
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You shouldn't use a sponge they collect bacteria.

 
Then it might have stuff in there that kills germs... and mantises. I'll recommend paper towels or napkins. They're way cheaper, easier to shape, and easier to change.

 
I read it takes a lot of skill and care to raise Orchids, very talented you are. Is that a gecko in the one picture? They are starting to grow on me, I'm not liking that, I have enough things to contend with now, no no no to gecko's! :lol: I no listen to myself! :wink: Somebody stop me! :cry:

 
Not that I have a lot of experience with many species, but I think orchids are one of the easier exotic species to raise. I took care of a pair of orchids for a while and I didn't do anything different for them.

edit: I just figured out that you're talking about flowers and I'm talking about mantises. :oops:

 
Awww i miss when they were little and pink like that. Great pictures of them... The Orchid flowers are beautiful!
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They are so cute & thank you! :D I love growing orchids, plus the other love of taking pictures.

Then it might have stuff in there that kills germs... and mantises. I'll recommend paper towels or napkins. They're way cheaper, easier to shape, and easier to change.
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Yes, the moss I use naturally inhibits bacteria & fungus growth.

I read it takes a lot of skill and care to raise Orchids, very talented you are. Is that a gecko in the one picture? They are starting to grow on me, I'm not liking that, I have enough things to contend with now, no no no to gecko's! I no listen to myself! Somebody stop me!
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_________________

It does take a lot of skill, But once you get the know how, It's pretty easy. Some of the orchids I grow can be hard.. :) Some I need to keep the humidity very high, But most are easy. Yep thats one of the geckos I breed & collect. :D This is the one in the pic, Her babies should be hatching the beginning of August. Lol I think they will do great for you.... :wink: They live for 15 to 20 years if not longer. But man... I'm loving the baby mantis!

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I was checking out Yen's, website & I read that he had seen his orchid mantis eat banana? I just had to try this for myself, Well they love it! lol They get all the water they want in they're cages. Maybe they need the potassium in the banana?
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Yes this little fellow loves banana :D , must be the moisture and sugar!

 
Hi!

Thre is a thread in the german mantid forum about the banana:

"It was observed that nymphs and adult Orchid Mantises feed on banana. They come to freshly cut banana flesh in search of moisture on its surface. First they drink the moisture and than gradually start eating the flesh. The proof that banana flesh was consumed is - a small cavity in the banana flesh. They do not eat much of it. Fleshy sweet fruits eaten by birds or squirrels can be a source of water, sugar and vitamins for Orchid Mantises in the wild"

 
Yen,

I get all my great ideas from you! :)

HelloKitty,

That is very interesting, I should offer banana once a week, So that they get there're needs met. :)

Ben.M,

I agree! It's very fascinating to hear about things like this. 8)

 
I wonder if any other typ of mantid would like bannana? Or maybe a different kind of fruit even??

That's awsome though! I would have never guessed that!

 
I've tried the banana with all my flower mantis & all of them love it. I think the tropical species are more in favor with the banana? They must do the same thing with fruit in the wild? Later..

I wonder if any other typ of mantid would like bannana? Or maybe a different kind of fruit even??That's awsome though! I would have never guessed that!
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I have a feeling both you Black Fox and Mikhail are correct on the issue of banana. But I also feel any species would go for it if you stuck it under its mandibles and it tasted it. Most anything will eat something with the most basic form of carbohydrate stuck under its nose. It's quick and tasty source of energy. A carnivore like a Wolf would eat banana if you let it taste a freshly cut slice too. :)

 

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