Nymph Cups

[jrh3]

you can take a pair of vise grips and clamp the blade to the side of a 2x4. There are many options but this one works.

 

[glock34girl]

Visual learner. What Iam imagining is the cutter literally duct taped to a peice of 1/4 inch ply. The cup would be rim down and pressed to the blade?

 

[ToeChecks]

wow this is perfect! im going to be making some of these for sure!!

 

[jrh3]

they are very easy once you get alot of them made.

 

[ToeChecks]

im going to use large deli cups since it would work the same way. it would be nice to find some giant cups to make them with.

 

[ninoupte7]

(I am awaiting the hatching of three different types of mantis, and of all the various designs, this one appeals to me as the simplest, cheapest, and most practical.)

a.) Where can I purchase No-see-um mesh? What is the best way to clean the lid so it lasts?

b.) When in the growth of the mantids should I switch from no-see-um mesh to standard, fiberglass, door screen mesh? What is the best way to clean the lid so it lasts?

c.) What is the best way to hot melt glue the no-see-um mesh to the top opening? I purchased a Hot melt gun with dual temp glue sticks.

d.) How do the Manti climb up the cup sides (and the inside lip of the top) to hang from the top?

e.) Would this type of construction be also useful for culturing the wingless dm ffs?

f.) I plan to follow the suggestion to cut a hole in the side of the mantid and ff cups and transfer ffs via a bug sucker straw.

-NinoUpte7

 

[Extrememantid]

(I am awaiting the hatching of three different types of mantis, and of all the various designs, this one appeals to me as the simplest, cheapest, and most practical.)

a.) Where can I purchase No-see-um mesh? What is the best way to clean the lid so it lasts?

b.) When in the growth of the mantids should I switch from no-see-um mesh to standard, fiberglass, door screen mesh? What is the best way to clean the lid so it lasts?

c.) What is the best way to hot melt glue the no-see-um mesh to the top opening? I purchased a Hot melt gun with dual temp glue sticks.

d.) How do the Manti climb up the cup sides (and the inside lip of the top) to hang from the top?

e.) Would this type of construction be also useful for culturing the wingless dm ffs?

f.) I plan to follow the suggestion to cut a hole in the side of the mantid and ff cups and transfer ffs via a bug sucker straw.

-NinoUpte7

Lol just to get it straight, it's mantids.. Not manti. And use hot glue and that should last a long time.. And switch to a bigger mesh once they are done eating ff's and their feet are larger. And most species of mantid have sort of suction cup things on their feet so they can climb up the side of glass and plastic. Oh and put the screen where you want it and glue over top of it so it goes through and onto the plastic, then cut the access screen off

 

[Paradoxica]

Do not use this technique to make a FF culture! You definitely need something that snaps shut. I've accidentally knocked these over before, and it's fine when a nymph pops out of it's cup, but when it's a thousand Fruit flies it would be a nightmare!

 

[Extrememantid]

Do not use this technique to make a FF culture! You definitely need something that snaps shut. I've accidentally knocked these over before, and it's fine when a nymph pops out of it's cup, but when it's a thousand Fruit flies it would be a nightmare!

I didn't realize they said ff culture too.. Definetly not

 

[Addlement]

I know this is a kind of old thread, but I would just like to say thank you SO much for this. I hadn't ever thought of it, and it's brilliant! I will be hatching out T. sinensis and was trying to wrap my head around the ~$40 I would have to pay to create housing for all of the nymphs. This basically just saved my budget!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know a good place to find larger cups? These won't happily hold adults of most species I'm sure, and I have been having a hard time finding adequate containers that are cost efficient. The best I've found are glass canning jars, and those are still ~$2 a piece, a little bit more than I'd like.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I have no see em on my site. As for cups, I would go with delli cups, cheapest material u will find. You can try going to the grocers and see if they have any that are a little defective you could purchase as they use them for their cut up fruit and their take out salad bars. You may find some that way.