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Mantid Madness!

  • Thread starter hcarlton
  • Start date
  • #81
Sad to say that for mysterious reasons both my Gonatista are no more...no clue what made them drop either, as they were feeding on flies just fine and those same flies have everyone else happy...

However, there is progress elsewhere: this guy is now an adult!
Parasphendale agrionina male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Parasphendale agrionina male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Parasphendale agrionina male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
He has also decided finally that the older of my two females (the other won't quite be ready for a couple weeks) is actually interesting, and has been riding around on her back now for about 26 hours...no clue if he's done his job yet though
 
  • #82
Next generation of Ghosts is maturing...these definitely look to be the one species I will almost guaranteed have luck with; even the Elmantis have a terrible tendency for females to eat the males possibly before mating occurs...
P. paradoxa male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
 
  • #83
Due to expense and relative lack of success with some species, I've cut back to only having a few...but this is one new arrival set that I hope will stick around and breed well: Creobroter sp., Indian Flower mantids
Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
They're small, supposedly fairly easy to breed, and beautiful as adults.

The group that I've had the most success with: Ghosts. This is the most recently matured male:
P. paradoxa adult male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And I have oh, SO many nymphs. Don't wanna keep them all, but interest has slackened...
P. paradoxa nymphs by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. paradoxa nymphs by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
 
  • #84
  • #86
  • #87
'Very handsome insects!
 
  • #92
Last edited:
  • #93
No. The trio photo was after the oldest paired up. Ghosts are among the least cannibalistic species (it happens, but not as often).
 
  • #94
I love praying matis’. Some live outside my house and if I see one that’s in a bad location(ex. the middle of my driveway) I’ll relocate it in my garden. I also love seeing all the babies, but seeing them eat each other... not so much.
 
  • #95
Well, she finally passed away, but not before becoming without question the oldest ghost mantis I've ever had. Old enough to see her own grandnymphs
Phyllocrania paradoxa old girl by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Phyllocrania paradoxa old girl by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrGhost nymphs by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
A wild European mantis found on one of our recent herping trips
Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And one found on the deck that I've kept
Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And another female
Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
 
  • #97
No. The trio photo was after the oldest paired up. Ghosts are among the least cannibalistic species (it happens, but not as often).

Thank you, it was very interesting to know that there are more or less cannibalistic species.
 
  • #99
Thank you for sharing the photo. It looks very amazing and wonderful!
 
  • #100
So just recently I got into a new hobby, one that I tried a couple of times years back (before I knew what I was doing) with no success, and thus far things are looking a lot more promising....

My first mantids (came in a little over a week ago) are young African Giant lined mantises, currently dubbed Lucy, Fred, Ethel, and Desi (bonuses for those who get the referene), though Lucy, the biggest one, is the only on I'm certain of the sex right now.
Sphodromantis lineola by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Sphodromantis lineola by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Sphodromantis lineola by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Sphodromantis lineola by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Here's hoping I can keep all of them to maturity and breeding size...

I just went through this entire thread and did not see anyone respond to the Lucy, Fred, Ethel, and Desi reference. Maybe because it should be Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, Fred and Ethel Mertz. That was a really funny show. Still remember the candy packing line episode.
 
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