Feeders for your pet insect
There is always debate in the hobby on feeders for mantis and spiders.
I personally always air on the side of caution.
Feeders I won't use;
Soldier flies and subsequently Calci worms.
Crickets
Mealworms
Soldier flies
I'm unsure what soldier flys are fed on as calci worms however usually when a mantis ingests the fly in it's entirity they fall, twitch and vomit followed by death.
Species such as orchids will be even more susceptible to such problems as they are very delicate in nature to bacterial infections ect.
My suggestion for anytime a mantis is throwing up black (indicating infection) or brown usually indicating overfed/bad feeder, is to hydrate them as much as possible and possibly feed with a different feeder to get the bad feeder through the system quicker.
So in regards to soldier flies, yes of course you can use them as feeders but at your own risk.
I have had deaths linked directly to them, I sadly just don't have anything solid to back up this claim.
Crickets
Many people use this feeder with no issues. Others have multiple issues. Crickets can harbour lots of nasty bacteria and viruses and some of these can be passed directly to your mantis (I am not sure if it can affect spiders).
There was an outbreak of cricket paralysis virus, called Acheta domesticus Densovirus (AdDNV), which has wiped out many cricket breeding facilities over the years. Densoviruses are arthropod-specific viruses, which is why they can affect mantises, but not reptiles and amphibians.
How much this affects the UK and our cricket supply or where our main distributers get there crickets from I don't know. But again cautious because we love our little dudes.
Mealworms
I used to use these a lot, however I have had a few casualties over the years due to them. Mealworms and Morio worms (they bite) have a hard skin called chitin which is difficult for a mantis to digest, as such this can block up their digestive system and cause fatalities.
Post mortems have been done within the modern community showing this to be the cause.
So again at your own discretion be it. I would never enforce my opinion on others so please do your own research and see what you think.
I'm just hoping for this to be a light guide or starting point to help a few keepers.
Signs of a bad feeder;
Jerking/convulsions
Vomit, usually brown in tone
Twitching
Lethargy
Death
Signs of a bacterial infection;
Vomit, usually black in tone
Vomit with a rancid scent, distinguishable to the brown vomit scent.
Blackened areas on the mantis's body..mouth area, abdomen and genitalia area tend to be the most common.
Species most susceptible to bacterial infections are flower species.
Remember some other things can also cause some of the above symptoms such as insecticides and chemicals from plants, fragrances and chemicals we use in our home.
Feeders I will use;
Roaches! All kinds
Wax worms - Treat, high fat content
Wax moths
Silkworms - difficult husbandry
Locusts
Greenbottles
Bluebottles
Curly fly's - if you can get them to hatch, most are imported
Springtails - Tiny nymphs
Aphids
I'm sure I've missed some!
#Written in the car