Prey Suggestions for my Adult Orchid Female

[AikoAiko]

I'm trying to feed my orchid mantis female up so she can lay ooths, but she doesn't seem to care for houseflies.

I was feeding a lot of large moths this summer and she always went for those and had an easy time catching them. The trouble is now it is getting cold in Colorado and there are no more moths out. I have lots of honey fed houseflies, but they are a lot smaller than what she was used to eating and she has to strike many times just to catch one fly and it takes over a dozen to fill her up.

What other kinds of insects can I offer her that are easy to get, larger than houseflies, and not crickets? And where do I get them from?

Aiko

 

[sidewinder]

Aiko,

Blue Bottle flies would be a good choice. They are quite a bit larger than house flies. You can get them (pupae) from Rebecca at Mantis Place.

You could also get some wax worms, let them pupate, and feed the moths than emerge. Grubco is a good choice for wax worms. I believe they have Blue bottle fly larvae too.

Scott

 

[Rick]

I always fed them bluebottle flies plus anything I could find outside that was flying.

 

[idolomantis]

Mine are L5 and have bluebottles already, it's a good source of food.