Stink Bugs as feeders

[Digger]

I was just reading an online NYT article about the reviled brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys.

With the winter being so frigid here in the Northeast U.S., these annoying little buggers are everywhere in the house.

Michael J. Raupp, an entomologist at the University of Maryland, mentioned that: "..three species of praying mantises are stink-bug slayers: the Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina), the European mantis (Mantis religiosa) and the Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis).

I know there have been discussions here regarding the safety of feeding these rotten beasts to our mantids. Raupp is a renowned bug guy, He also mentioned that the stink bug is very high in protein content.

The only downside in using this prolific house-invader as a feeder is the sharp pungent stink that fills the room as the mantis is chomping away..

 

[gm88]

The one or two times I tried it they did get eaten. The smell I imagine would build up quite a bit in the enclosure itself if you were feeding large amnt. of stink bugs to your mantis or mantids. It's kinda hard to wash out. Other than that great way to cut down on a real pest. I have them as well as ladybugs flying around my house/room as I type.

 

[Rick]

I haven't used that particular species but when I find them in the yard and I have a mantis that could eat them I use them as food.

 

[hibiscusmile]

:wacko: :yawn: I give them sometimes as they invade my house, some times they get eaten, sometimes they throw it back at me in discuss!

 

[mantiseater]

:wacko: :yawn: I give them sometimes as they invade my house, some times they get eaten, sometimes they throw it back at me in discuss!

me too

 

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Ha Ha! That is exactly what my Mandy did when I tried to feed her a sticky bug!