What food do mantids like most?

[Brohamster]

Can you feed mantids adult mealworm beetles?

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Can you feed mantids adult mealworm beetles?

They don’t like beetles because of their hard exoskeletons.

 

[Matts inverts]

To hard. Assassin bugs don’t mind though.

 

[Brohamster]

Ok, but will it harm the mantid in any way?

Do mantids have a favorite food? And, if they do what is it?

 

[Matts inverts]

They beetle might fight and the shell is way to strong for the mantis. Just don’t try it.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

They eat with opportunity let it be big or small. I’ve found they like softer prey, mainly roaches, flies, locusts.

Do mantids have a favorite food? And, if they do what is it?

 

[Kaqpewqt]

I always read about them needing fruit flies - are 1st instar lateralis roaches also okay for nymphs? Could be a dumb question but i never read about roaches and always about flies as possible food source

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Do mantids have a favorite food? And, if they do what is it?

Probably insects.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

I always read about them needing fruit flies - are 1st instar lateralis roaches also okay for nymphs? Could be a dumb question but i never read about roaches and always about flies as possible food source

They need fruit flies, D. melenogaster at L1,2,3 then they can move on to first instar lateralis and just feed them the appropriate sized roaches when they are thin.

 

[Realregallover]

Do mantids have a favorite food? And, if they do what is it?

We feed ours mealworms. Just hand it to him with a pair of tweezers.

 

[Brohamster]

Where do you buy earwigs, and can you feed a mantis them?

 

[Lucky123]

Where do you buy earwigs, and can you feed a mantis them?

don't earwigs have pinchers for a reason

 

[Brohamster]

Yes, but are the pincers that dangerous to a mantis?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I don't know if they're a good food source.
I don't see why not if they're "clean"
Their pinchers are useless on me. Don't do anything. Barely any pressure.
If you want a bunch, set up a chicken's nest box on the ground. They'll fill every corner. Lol

 

[Lucky123]

Yes, but are the pincers that dangerous to a mantis?

what point would they serve if they aren't dangerous to the thing trying to eat them?

Their pinchers are useless on me. Don't do anything. Barely any pressure.

to a human

 

[DomGom TheFather]

to a human

Like i said, I don't know.
I was just saying.
You could snip them off if someone was dead set on using them and concerned.

 

[Lucky123]

Like i said, I don't know.
I was just saying.
You could snip them off if someone was dead set on using them and concerned.

true but i wonder why it would be better to use earwigs when there are tons of feeders out there.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

true but i wonder why it would be better to use earwigs when there are tons of feeders out there.

I have no idea.
All i know is my kids are scared of them and i have to demonstrate how weak their rear ends are pretty often.

 

[Lucky123]

i have to demonstrate how weak their rear ends are

Really? The earwigs where you live must be different

 

[Brohamster]

Their "pinch" is painless to me and I've seen them attack beetles and do nothing to the beetle, of course, beetles have a hard shell. And wouldn't the mantis have slain the earwig before it could pinch? But will it harm the mantis if you feed it a earwig?