When can ghost mantids start eating meal worms?

[Kris02]

My ghost is an l4 rn should i graduate her from fruit flies to meal worms?

 

[MantisGirl13]

@Kris02 Do you have a different feeder option? mealworms have to be hand fed to the mantis with the head crushed or ripped off because their jaws can seriously damage a nymph. An L4 ghost should be graduated to crickets, roaches, or flies, though mealworms can work. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Synapze]

I would as soon as it could tackle a blue bottle fly. I would then start with medium-sized mealworms with heads removed. 

 

[Kris02]

@Kris02 Do you have a different feeder option? mealworms have to be hand fed to the mantis with the head crushed or ripped off because their jaws can seriously damage a nymph. An L4 ghost should be graduated to crickets, roaches, or flies, though mealworms can work. 

- MantisGirl13

I would be handfeeding after crushing the head which is fine right? I can probably find something else, but I heard crickets can bite too.  Thanks a ton

 

[hysteresis]

I feed my ghosts 1/4 pin crickets, and bits of fly larva.

Later, flies.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I would be handfeeding after crushing the head which is fine right? I can probably find something else, but I heard crickets can bite too.  Thanks a ton

Ok. Yes, crickets can bite too, but some people use them anyway. If you hand feed and crush the mealworm's head, you should be fine.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

I thought I gave my ghosts green bottle flies at L4. When i am out of flies (not hatched yet) I give dubia pieces or grasshopper pieces. If you feed crickets, keep an eye on the feeding. Crickets can hurt your mantis.

 

[Graceface]

Houseflies or Blue Bottle Flies at L4 is what I do. Houseflies would be best at that instar, but they may be fine with BBF.

I don't feed mealworms or anything that could bite or harm a mantis, just to be safe. I've lost an Orchid to a cricket bite the one time I used them as feeders in a pinch, and I know others here have lost mantids to mealworms bites. If you crush the heads and hand feed, mealworms should be okay. Crickets can have other dangers to mantids, I've heard. Better safe than sorry, imo

I prefer to only feed flies to my Ghosts and Orchids, as that is their preference, too.