Feeding Mantid with flying food

[Gomjaba]

I don't want one at the moment but I am still curious

Is that true that you feed Mantids with flying food ?

How the heck do you do that and what do you use ?

I managed to have locust and crickets on the loose I can imaging flies are a tad harder to "keep", no ?

Edit: Heh, now that is cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpS3v3UKeDU

[garlicpickle]

It's easier at this time of year - if any flies or moths come into the house I catch them and chuck them in with the mantids. It's also quite easy to breed your own bluebottles and greenbottles - just buy maggots from a fishing shop, let them pupate, then keep them in the fridge and just get a few out every couple of days. the flies take about 10 days to hatch from the casters at 70 degrees, but putting them in the fridge will delay that.

[Gomjaba]

Originally Posted by garlicpickle

It's easier at this time of year - if any flies or moths come into the house I catch them and chuck them in with the mantids. It's also quite easy to breed your own bluebottles and greenbottles - just buy maggots from a fishing shop, let them pupate, then keep them in the fridge and just get a few out every couple of days. the flies take about 10 days to hatch from the casters at 70 degrees, but putting them in the fridge will delay that.

neat

I surely do like the look of nice Mantids .. might get one at some point .. once my spidies are settled in

[garlicpickle]

if you get tiny mantids, you need to breed your own fruit flies which is a pain. I bought mine at 4th instar so they could already manage greenbottles and small crickets/locusts.

[Gomjaba]

Originally Posted by garlicpickle

if you get tiny mantids, you need to breed your own fruit flies which is a pain. I bought mine at 4th instar so they could already manage greenbottles and small crickets/locusts.

So I have to wait for the next summer fruit fly invasion here

[squaccy]

when we had our chinese mantis she ate crickets...but occasionally (because of the state of my OH's old student house) we'd have some nice big flies come into the kitchen. So I'd just net them and she loved them

Of course we waited for her to be a bit bigger.

[Gomjaba]

Originally Posted by squaccy

when we had our chinese mantis she ate crickets...but occasionally (because of the state of my OH's old student house) we'd have some nice big flies come into the kitchen. So I'd just net them and she loved them

Of course we waited for her to be a bit bigger.

Aren't you worried that the flies carrying all sorts of diseases ?

[squaccy]

Originally Posted by Gomjaba

Aren't you worried that the flies carrying all sorts of diseases ?

don't have them now. I didn't know this forum, I relyed on my "knowledgable" OH (LOL) and caresheets. She was obviously ok, she lived for 6-7 months which (according to the caresheet) was as long as they are supposed to live.

[squaccy]

Originally Posted by Gomjaba

Aren't you worried that the flies carrying all sorts of diseases ?

don't have them now. I didn't know this forum, I relyed on my "knowledgable" OH (LOL) and caresheets. She was obviously ok, she lived for 6-7 months which (according to the caresheet) was as long as they are supposed to live.

but yeah, if I had one now I'd obviously won't do that now!

[squaccy]

oops not sure why that posted twice ¬¬ sorry