What NOT to feed your mantis?

[Psychobunny]

What about those grey rolly-polly or "pill" bugs?

You know the ones I mean, they can roll up in a ball?

I have zillions of those in my yard, just lift any rock, and there are loads of them.

If mantids would eat, and like them, I would never have to buy feeders again

 

[Chivalry]

That looks like a cicada killer. What state do you live in where you saw that? I remember those from Tennessee. Huge and nasty!!!!

Cicada killer? Tennesseeans have not only the craziest bugs but the craziest names for them. My father in law uses "tawby worms" for fishing which are apparently a grub found only (or mostly) in catalpa trees.

I need a bug net.

 

[frogparty]

Cicada killers are huge wasps that kill cicadas. Pretty straight foreward name

 

[itzjustjeff]

A wasp big enough to kill a cicada...I'm staying indoors

 

[CoolMantid]

Spiders. I learned that the hard way. Read my post about it http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=24195&pid=186724&st=40entry186724

 

[brancsikia339]

I don't think you should feed ants or spiders to mantids.

 

[meaganelise9]

I found this when I was looking up information about milkweed, since we have a big plot of land next to my work filled with milkweed and milkweed bugs:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2425543

 

[CoolMantid]

That pretty cool. Do you get monarchs?

 

[meaganelise9]

We get a few. I know in some states, you're not allowed to kill them, and I believe they also feed on the milkweed unless you're keeping them in captivity.

 

[CoolMantid]

i got 50 monarchs from jsut one milkweed plant! eesssh!