Keeping Zelus sp. Assassins?

Zephyr

Zephyr

Roach Food
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Anyone else there ever kept the Zelus. sp assassin bugs? I have a female Z. luridus who has laid 2 egg clusters (one of which hatched!) and I was wondering if I should give the nymphs one big food item (like a mealworm pupae or roach) to feed on or multiple smaller ones (fruit flies etc.)

 
If the nymphs will attack large prey, I think you should give them that. It's more economical. I've kept larger nymphs and adults, but never hatchlings. The nymphs might team up on one large prey item, too.

 
A 1/4" Zelus assassin bug nymph that landed on my arm when I was in the back yard today. I've kept them before and never would have thought they'd bite but that sucker drilled into my arm, pumped in a little venom, and there's a visible little hole there.

 
Ouch Orin. D:

I do get a little nervous working around them but I've found they do fine on a diet of crushed mealworm pupae and fruit flies, which doesn't require much direct contact with them on my end.

 
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I've never been bitten either! Maybe the fall startled it enough to bite the first thing it saw. Surprising (for me) that they'd eat crushed pupae.

 
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