Fruit flies, flies or crickets: which size, how many and how often, and what to do around molts, by species, size and temperature.
From the head to the tip of the abdomen. An L1 nymph is often under 1 cm.
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| Length | Prey | Per meal | Frequency | After molt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | Hydei fruit flies | 3 | every day | wait 1 day |
| 2 cm | Hydei fruit flies | 4 | every day | wait 1 day |
| 3 cm | House flies | 1 | every 2 days | wait 1 day |
| 5 cm | Green or blue bottle flies | 2 | every 2 days | wait 2 days |
| 7 cm | Green or blue bottle flies | 4 | every 3 days | wait 2 days |
| 10 cm | Green or blue bottle flies | 4 | every 3 days | wait 2 days |
These are average guidelines. Every mantis is different: the abdomen matters more than the calendar.
6 cm Sphodromantis lineola, 24 °C, normal abdomen: 3 green or blue bottle flies every 2 days, and a 2-day wait after a molt.
Sources: O. McMonigle, Keeping the Praying Mantis; common keeping practice. These are guidelines: the abdomen matters more than the calendar.
Mostly flies (fruit flies for small nymphs, then house flies and green or blue bottle flies). Roaches are fine too. Avoid crickets, which can bite a molting mantis.
A young nymph every day or every other day, an adult every 2 to 4 days.
Usually not: it stops eating a day or two before a molt. Remove live prey so it is not disturbed.
One to two days, until its raptorial legs harden.
Write to me: I add requested species and fix the amounts.