Wild caught versus cultured food

[Kasael]

Hi, I've been feeding my two mantis nymphs (L3 Creoboter gemmatus, L5 Sphodromantis lineola) wild-caught food for several months now. My mantises seem healthy and happy, I have no problems catching enough food, and it's temperate enough that things should be hopping even when winter rolls around.

But I'm starting to wonder if this is safe in the long term. We don't use pesticides, but this is a high-density neighborhood and I imagine at least some of my neighbors are using something or other. And since mantises are predators, even if there's only a little in their prey, it's bound to build up... Ditto for parasites.

Should I switch to cultured food, or is wild-caught generally okay?

 

[Digger]

I also live in a (relatively) high density neighborhood.  Have fed wild prey (primarily moths and small butterflies when I can get 'em) without any detriment to the mantids.  Also use commercial crickets.  I make sure they are at least 2 days gut-loaded.  Regarding wild food - there's always an outside concern of pesticide contamination.  Although I figure if a moth has been infected with poison, she's not going to be happily, energetically working plants for nectar.  I would be much more concerned about ground-based prey having insecticide residue on it as it walks through grass (treated lawns).

 

[CosbyArt]

@Kasael No problem for me in the last few years either. Zero mantid caused deaths or parasites from wild caught feeders, but of course it is always a possibility. However so is dying in a car wreck if I leave my house, but I leave anyway.

That is life. There is always risks involved with anything, it is up to you to decide which you feel carries less risk or are willing to do. If your worried feel free to switch to strictly purchased or cultured feeders (which have their own risks too), personally I'll continue to use wild caught feeders when possible.

 

[Kasael]

@Digger @CosbyArt

Yeah... To be honest, when sojourning through the health issues forum, I noticed more issues related to cultured crickets (carrying viruses, chewing on molting mantises when left in the enclosure) than any "I fed my mantis this bug I found outside and now he's dead" etc., which kind of gives me an idea of what to be worried about. Thanks for the experience and the reassurance.

 

[CosbyArt]

@Digger @CosbyArt

Yeah... To be honest, when sojourning through the health issues forum, I noticed more issues related to cultured crickets (carrying viruses, chewing on molting mantises when left in the enclosure) than any "I fed my mantis this bug I found outside and now he's dead" etc., which kind of gives me an idea of what to be worried about. Thanks for the experience and the reassurance.

In that aspect crickets tend to be the main common feeder, especially with pets such as reptiles and arachnids (comprising of a multi-million dollar sales from billions of crickets), so from that much use there are bound to be a few problems. The main problem it seems with crickets are they are omnivores, and if offered to too small a mantid or starved, then they can turn the tables (as they can bite). Although from at least 10,000 crickets I have bought and used as feeders now, I have not had a single instance of trouble that I can say was cricket related either.

Crickets need to be fed, kept clean, and offered as prey feeders of appropriate size (1/3 of the mantids length or less) to mantids, and there tend to be few problems if any for most. I know others such as member Rick has used many more crickets, for more years than me, without issue too - I imagine there are several others too.