Where Do You Get Your Mesh?

[iLUVdraguhns]

Not sure if the butterfly cages have mesh. I think I use rubber mesh. What mesh do you use? Where did you get them? Pics to follow.

 

[I_love_mantids]

walmart

 

[Extrememantid]

Michaels

 

[HungryGhost]

Home Depot

 

[Termite48]

Mesh can be easily found in the Wal-mart yardage dept. Butterfly net is generic and non-specific as to mesh gauge and material type.

 

[d17oug18]

i found around 2-3 sites that sells ROLLS! of it lol i bought like 500 yrds for almost nothing. rubber is easy to obtain but metal is hard af to find for me.

 

[HappyFish]

Hobby Lobby for fabric mesh and Ace Hardware for wire. At Ace you can buy by the foot or the roll.

 

[PlayingMantis]

I just learned a hard lesson about using plastic mesh. I've been using tulle for the past half year or so - I found it easy to cut and pretty comfortable for the mantids to grip, at least from the looks of it. However, today, one angry mantis chewed a hole through the top of her enclosure, walked over to her neighboring enclosure, chewed another hole, walked in, and ate her sister. I am seriously considering switching over to wire mesh, which hopefully cannot be chewed through.

 

[Digger]

Although panty hose works perfectly, anybody have a suggestion for a mesh that is fine enough to trap melanos but supplies good ventilation? I'm tired of getting those weird looks at CVS when I buy the hose.

 

[ct.pro]

You can get a huge roll of the rubber/plastic mesh at walmart for under $5

 

[JP77]

Although panty hose works perfectly, anybody have a suggestion for a mesh that is fine enough to trap melanos but supplies good ventilation? I'm tired of getting those weird looks at CVS when I buy the hose.

I stop over in the fabric section at Walmart. They'll usually have some fine mesh-like material. I got some that was on clearance for a buck per yard (only problem is it's pink :tt2: ). I hot glue it to a cut-out container lid so the ends don't fray.

 

[hibiscusmile]

not to blow my horn, but I carry fine plastic mesh, give me address and I can send a sample.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I just learned a hard lesson about using plastic mesh. I've been using tulle for the past half year or so - I found it easy to cut and pretty comfortable for the mantids to grip, at least from the looks of it. However, today, one angry mantis chewed a hole through the top of her enclosure, walked over to her neighboring enclosure, chewed another hole, walked in, and ate her sister. I am seriously considering switching over to wire mesh, which hopefully cannot be chewed through.

Wow that is insane. I've used the net cubes and I've never had a mantis chew a hole and escape, much less break into another mantises cage to eat them. Sorry for your loss, but that girl certainly deserves a special nickname for her determined stomach.

I would be careful with the wire mesh. It pops the hooked parts of tarsus far easier, especially on larger species. Mantises can also get their claws caught and since the metal has no give they can't pull it back out like with soft netting. Finally, the only time I ever experienced eye rub spots it was from mantises in metal screen cages.

 

[LAME]

I use heavy duty screen door screening, all it is is regular screening with a rubberized coating. Its so far the best thing I've found... Easy to work with and doesn't really crease when you fold it. Probably find it in wallyworld or any hardware store for pretty cheap. Comes in a big roll.

Or do what some of the community has mentioned and check out the hobby/fabric areas in WalMart.

 

[aesculpius]

I use anti-skid pads (which are a rubbery mesh) from Ikea. The stuff is dirt cheap and effective.

 

[Aryia]

Amazon, fiberglass or aluminum mesh. Aluminum mesh is entirely chew-proof even from roaches but a pain to work with. Haven't had trouble with fiberglass mesh and chewing yet. Most mantises have a good grip on it too, some species with a weak grip will need some sticks glued onto the fiberglass mesh.

 

[SkittishMale]

I get my mesh from Home Hardware for a decent price and I just cut out a large hole in the lid of a deli cup and cover that hole by hot gluing mesh over it.

 

[averhoeven]

Just built my first "tank". I prefer to create little decorative environments for my critters, the landscaping and stuff is what I enjoy more than the collecting aspect of small animals and their habitats. That said, I was in Michael's trying to figure out a bowl setup and discovered a (at least I think) perfect material. It's called Aida cloth. It's essentially the stuff they stretch across the rings as a base for cross-stitching. That ring and aida cloth combo also give a variety of sizing options to make lids too. Figured I would share that since I hadn't seen it mentioned elsewhere and might help people make a "classy" setup should they want to.

 

[Veganbrian]

Im curious what you guys think of this idea. What if you sprayed light coats of plasti dip on the inside of metal screen mesh? do you think that would help with both issues of injury and chew proof?