Praying mantis food

[stickinsect123]

I just wondered what foods praying mantises can eat apart from flies?

[natonstan]

Adults eat Crickets

[Ian]

Any kind of livefood, and depending on the species, depends on what they can eat.

Common, easy to keep species such as Hierodula and Sphodromantis will feed on lots, including crickets, locusts, mealworms, waxworms, flies, roaches, anything that moves really.

However the Empusids for example, like the Gongylus and Idolomantis will only really feed on flying insects.

[zirliz]

Do you have to vary the food fed?

[Ian]

You can do, but I don't. Find it just easier to stick with one foodtype.

[Bud the Bug]

At the beginning i use Drosophila and from the 2nd instar I use Nauphoeta cinerea...

[stickinsect123]

Is it best to give them a varied diet or doesn't it matter?

[Ian]

http://www.insectstore.com/phasmid/showpost.php?p=4540&postcount=5

[stickinsect123]

Oh I didn't read ur reply properly!