Ladybugs, food source?

grnlfr

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
28
I was home depot and I saw ladybugs for sale. Put them on your roses and no more aphids. But can they be fed to t's? Are they poisonous and are they even a decent source of food for a t ? Just questions I have not sure if it's a good idea.
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Sep 12, 2005
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6,218
I'm not sure of poisonous, but I wouldn't feed anything I was unsure of to my Ts. I'd just gonna stick with crickets and/or roaches..
 

moose35

Arachnoprince
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May 14, 2005
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1,351
big no no ....don't do it...they are toxic to small predators.

moose
 

Mattyb

Arachnoking
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Jun 28, 2004
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2,317
If its not broke, don't fix it. Meaning if crickets and roaches are doing the job, then why change to a different food source? Good question though IMO incase someone wanted to try it and didn't bother to ask.


-Matty
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Feb 13, 2006
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8,656
A lady bug is a small prey item so I am guessing you are trying to feed slings? Use aphids....... I use them for slings all the time. They are soft bodied, and you dont really have to worry about chemicals being in them because they are hypersensitive to simple things like dish soap, so if they are alive they are pretty much fine to feed to your Ts.
I would not feed a ladybug. Even if there are no poisons to worry about they are all shell little guts.
 

lunixweb

Arachnobaron
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Apr 15, 2007
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333
I would say is better to feed your T with known sources, like roaches or crickets, maybe some superworms from time to time.
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
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Apr 1, 2006
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ladybugs = bad. In fact, I'd be surprised if you could get a T to eat one. Crack one open and take a whiff. That's to drive off predators, and its not good for eating.

-Sean
 

Alakdan

Arachnoangel
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Jan 24, 2006
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I might be wrong but bright colored insects usually means poisonous. The coloration is supposed to be a warning to would be predators.
 

Hedorah99

Arachnoprince
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May 2, 2005
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1,863
ladybugs = bad. In fact, I'd be surprised if you could get a T to eat one. Crack one open and take a whiff. That's to drive off predators, and its not good for eating.

-Sean
big no no ....don't do it...they are toxic to small predators.

moose


I might be wrong but bright colored insects usually means poisonous. The coloration is supposed to be a warning to would be predators.

Yup. they emit a secretion that is just god awful in smell and will deter most things from eating them. That and the coloration pretty much tells every living thing around them that they are not to be eaten. Aposmatic coloration, like in dart frogs, coral snakes and lady bugs, pretty much screams, "You'll regret it if you eat me!".

I cannot imagine that they would be any cheaper than buying crickets either.
 
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