Should I remove the eggs that moths lay?

[eyes]

I seem to be getting quite a collection of moth eggs in my mantis enclosures. Should I remove the eggs or just leave them?

I thought about maybe putting some fresh leaves in there for them to eat when they hatch but since moth larvae tend to protect themselves well with silk I think it might not work.

 

[jrh3]

some of them will make silk that the mantids will get caught in. That happened to me and the little worms were everywhere.

 

[eyes]

Yeah that's what I'm afraid of. Bah, it's going to be hard to get them all out. No more fat juicy moths.

 

[CoolMantid]

What kind of moths? If they are Giant silkmoths they will just pop off if you try with your finger nail.

 

[eyes]

I think most of the eggs came from one Owlet type moth (Noctuidae?). It was really fat and looked like it would make a great meal but it spent most of its time not moving so the mantids never found it.

The eggs shouldn't be a problem to get off it's just that they're in several places on the enclosure walls that I can't reach without taking everything out. Now the mantises are about to molt and I don't want to disturb them. I hope the eggs don't hatch in the next couple days.

 

[eyes]

Well they hatched before the mantises finished molting. I got as many of the larvae out as I could but there are still a bunch. Anyone know exactly what kind of this moth is (see pic)? The larvae are so small that they can get out of my enclosure and now I don't know if should take everything outside (it's going to rain though)... Depending on what they eat (eg. cotton = BAD!).

Click for large version

 

[CoolMantid]

Not sure about what they will eat but I would try oak as that is a common food source for moths

Also, only 1 species of moths that I am aware of eat cotton shirts. And this species is not it.

 

[eyes]

I didn't realize there is only one kind of cloth eating moth so that's good. I guess I'll bring 'em in and put some fresh leaves in there (everything seems to like my pecan tree, I'll try those).

Some moth larvae eat the steams/roots though (ie "cutworms") so they might not survive in any case.

 

[CoolMantid]

Yes, if they dont try oak try other stuff