My Observation on the Care of Gungylus Gongylodes!

[spencervirt]

Thanks to Peter from Bugsincyberpace.com (I highly recommend buying from him if you haven't already) I have had a Wandering Violin Mantis for about a month now. I heard a lot about the specific requirements for them, mainly how they need heat (85-100 day and 80 at night) and winged insects. I did some research on some scientific reasons why these two requirements were so. Basically what I found was that violins not only live over a large area of India (and thus over a wide array of temps) but that the nutritional value of crickets vs. flying insects was not very different. I cannot imagine that a slight increase of protein could be bad for any mantis. Yes, the violin is surely made for catching winged foods (long arms) but I cannot see how this particular mantis can have such a different food requirement from other mantids. In fact, it seems to me that my gongy prefers crickets! I have tried all types of winged foods and so far it has only taken one of them opposed to 10 crickets. In addition, my house has a constant temperature of 82 degrees. The cage has a temp of 85-86. Even at the bottom edge of the temp "requirements" she is happy as a clam! The only effect that I have seen from low temps is that she seems to eat less than my others- maybe a slower metabolism from the low temps? Time will tell, but to me it seems that all the hype about violins being difficult to raise is hulabaloo. My last thought- Since this mantis grows to 5 plus inches, as an adult she will surely need large foods. According to many, I have to feed her flying insects. That means basically large butterflies and moths. I dont believe that a wild 5 inch gongylus gongylodes can survive hunting only large butterflies and moths, especially those mantises in the arid parts of India. Is a brown mantis made obviously to blend with desert like plants supposed to eat flying insects that thrive around flowers? I know for sure that when mine gets older, there is no way I will be able to feed those large flying insects.

Anyway, I just thought I would add to this controversy. I might be (and probably am) wrong, but so far my mantis seems to be loving life on a cricket diet with low temps.

 

[LauraMG]

She's a perty one! My 3" Chinese loves to eat giant horseflies! Glad you're having luck with crickets. I hate them because they stink and cannibalize. Interesting observations!

 

[Colorcham427]

Not sure if the low temperatures you're providing is good for it, but crickets don't seem so bad as I was told when I first entered this world of mantids.

If I do have crickets meant for some of my mantids, I feed them bee pollen powder mixed with sugar and oat meal.

 

[Rick]

They may prefer flying food, but I haven't seen any hard proof that they HAVE to have only flying insects. I let mine have a normal nighttime temp drop down into the mid to low 70's and I am on my third generation.

 

[spencervirt]

Thanks for the responses! That one I posted isn't mine, I just thought it was a nice touch

My violin is L5/L6 not sure which and her name is Sophie

I might as well buy her a heat lamp to maybe keep the temps a bit higher. Whatever makes her happier. The point basically was that she seems fine without those temps.

Don't tell the others, but she's my favorite! Shh lol

I'll take some pics soon.

 

[spencervirt]

Oh forgot to add- We don't have horseflies where I live =(

When I was in yellowstone a few weeks ago I saw (and killed) many of them.

They would be perfect.

How are they compared to blue bottle flies?

 

[Rick]

Oh forgot to add- We don't have horseflies where I live =(

When I was in yellowstone a few weeks ago I saw (and killed) many of them.

They would be perfect.

How are they compared to blue bottle flies?

About 20 times bigger.