Green Lacewing

[BleuSaphir]

Would these be suitable to feed veiled chameleons? I see this place has mantis eggs. I am looking to buy the mantis and let them hatch for some enrichment. I saw these as well. Wondering if they could be another enrichment?
https://www.rasahydroponics.com/green-lacewing-adults.html
I saw they also have Larvae form which is tempting for eradicating mealy bugs inside the cage.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Would these be suitable to feed veiled chameleons? I see this place has mantis eggs. I am looking to buy the mantis and let them hatch for some enrichment. I saw these as well. Wondering if they could be another enrichment?
https://www.rasahydroponics.com/green-lacewing-adults.html
I saw they also have Larvae form which is tempting for eradicating mealy bugs inside the cage.

I have fed Green Lacewing from field plankton I have collected to my mid and smaller sized chameleons in the past. The chameleons I have fed the Green Lacewings to relished them. However I consider them a treat for most chameleon species as Green Lacewings are small insects. They may make a good meal for a chameleon species in the genus Bradypodion.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[BleuSaphir]

So they would be too small for Veileds?

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

So they would be too small for Veileds?

They would be similar to feeding an adult male Chamaeleo calypatratus small/mid sized crickets.

They are green and would make a great small treat feeder insect.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[BleuSaphir]

They would be similar to feeding an adult male Chamaeleo calypatratus small/mid sized crickets.

They are green and would make a great small treat feeder insect.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

That’s not too bad, I want to bring some new enrichment so he not bored of his staples.

By the way, we need the as another icon reaction for being informative.

 

[MissSkittles]

I have hatched out mantis ooths in my enclosures to help control the soil gnats. They make a dent in the gnat population before my chameleons eat them all. I feel kind of bad for the mantis babies as they just don’t have any chance. I’ve ‘saved’ some and grown them out of curiosity/interest and they are very cool. Amazing predators.

 

[ehdee6]

@MissSkittles fungus gnat eaters eh? *Buys a colony of them*... Is it true they bite, or is just the bigger ones that are aggressive?

 

[kinyonga]

According to what I’ve read, the lacewing adult form is not toxic to dogs…but the larva is…”The jaws of lacewing larvae have a built-in groove that channels toxic saliva right into the victim’s body.”…
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/michigan-insects-in-the-garden-season-2-week-9-chrysopidae

Just don’t collect the lacewings in areas that are sprayed with insecticides.

 

[MissSkittles]

@MissSkittles fungus gnat eaters eh? *Buys a colony of them*... Is it true they bite, or is just the bigger ones that are aggressive?

As far as I know, the baby mantids are safe for chameleons. They are too tiny to hurt a chameleon. I don’t think I would trust a fully grown mantis with a chameleon…one of them will end up bitten and probably eaten and I’m not sure which one it would be. Both are ambush predators and where chameleons have those eyes and tongue, mantids are efficient and fierce. This year I’m using mosquito bits to control the soil gnats.

 

[BleuSaphir]

I should contact them to see if the lacewing larvae forms if they spray pesticides on them before I purchase.