Please help-Ideas for a feeder insect.

[Jay]

[SIZE=12pt]After some time looking for a specific insect I am struggling to find a feeder insect that I could feed a small to medium sized mantis. I am looking at breeding some feeder food with the following parameters:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]1. The adult form of the feeder insect must be about the size of an adult housefly.[/SIZE]

2. The feeder insect must be low maintenance (about the same maintenance as a fruitfly colony or less).

3. Breeding/keeping the feeder insect must not make my house stink.

4. The food for this feeder insect must be something that I could buy from a local grocery/health/or hardware store and be inexpensive.

5. The feeder insect must be able to breed relatively fast (at least once a month at a higher temperature).

6. I would prefer (but it is not necessary) that the feeder insect is a flying insect.

7. I cannot breed roaches or crickets (My better half said “No”)

[SIZE=12pt]I have dabbled with breeding houseflies from time to time but I have had only limited success in developing a good system for doing this. Right now I am keeping the small wingless Drosophila and Indian Meal Moths (the latter has very low maintenance but a high risk of escape). My goal would be to find a low maintenance moth or fly between the size of a Meal Moth and a Lesser Waxmoth.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Any suggestions? Please let me know if you have any ideas![/SIZE]

 

[padkison]

I buy 1000 blowfly maggots from Grubco for $13.50 shipped. They can be kept in the fridge and pulled out a few at a time to pupate and mature.

When I run out, I order more.

If you own lizards or aboreal Ts, it is fun to watch them chase flies down.

I am having some problem with the culture molding.

 

[Rick]

Use houseflies. I order the maggots and keep them in the fridge. I take out how many I need and put them in a container. Several days later I have flies. I feed the flies honey with a syringe and they last for several days. But then again if you want to actually breed these it will stink. Thats why I just order the maggots 1000 at a time. They are inexpensive.

 

[padkison]

Rick and I are talking about the same thing. I was calling them blowflies.

 

[Rick]

I thought they were houseflies. Whatever they are they make great mantis food.

 

[Jay]

Thanks for the replies Rick and Padkison. I know all of my mantises love houseflies. Any other suggestions anyone?

 

[infinity]

And as a treat- waxmoths... - they fit all the above criteria

If you're into being a little more adventurous, perhaps one of the cabbage white butterflies- perhaps a little big but all the above apply to that too

 

[Jay]

Thanks Infinity,

I was thinking of waxmoths- I will have to try them sometime. I have heard that the larvae can be fed a mixture of dry dog food and honey. That doesn't sound like it would stink too much.

What do you feed your cabbage butterflies, Infinity? I know that they can live off a variety of plants.

Any other suggestions?