Recent content by TheShadyMantid

Chinese mantis nymphs L3 roughly 10 left. Plenty of Dubia Roaches organic fed, all sizes.  Can offer great deals on roaches right now as we have lots.  PM me for details or check out www.TheShadyMantid.com

This is a pretty common thing among mantids, seems more so in the smaller ones.  I have heard many people say that it can be associated with sickness/black death etc, however i have also had some mantids that would throw up a lot as nymphs, but then lived on to become adults or die of some other...

Received 25 L1/L2 nymphs from Raymond, and not a single one died in transit (priority 2 day).  Very healthy mantids, great packaging and communication.  A+ Sir!

I found that TSK Supply has pretty good bulk prices.

Congratulations!  Certainly an awesome feeling =) As Mysty said, you don't have to worry about cannibalizing yet.  You can get away with keeping them together until after their first molt, but if you do this you will want to keep a CONSTANT supply of fruit flies or other feeders in with them. ...

Cool post Dane, thanks for sharing =) The Chinese were my first as well and will always have a special place in my heart.  You are right about the high mortality in early instars.  Best thing to do is separate the ones you want to keep as soon as possible.  Here are the key things that give me...

Another good guess, and also one of my original suspicions.  But I don’t believe that it’s a gal because it has a hole at the bottom. Usually galls will grow kind of in middle of a stick or branch or leaf, etc.  this thing was just barely hanging from the tip of a tulip leaf.  I’ll take some...

It definitely resembles some of the little mud nests that wasps make, however I'm pretty sure it would be way too early for wasps to be doing this.  I think wasps are ruled out unless someone has evidence otherwise?

You finally killed her because she just won’t die? At first I thought maybe u were trolling, but as it looks like your mantis is blue, I’m assuming u really did put nail polish on her.   Hopefully she is just not eating because she is getting ready to molt, but it could also be because you are...

Hey all, wondering if anyone can identify this sac/nest thing I found hanging from the young tulips this morning. (Wisconsin). I’m finding it surprisingly hard to identify. Thanks!

Unfortunately I don't yet have any experience with these beauties.  But if she's an adult she should be laying ooth, and 2 months seems like a long time.  If she is plugged up that could also explain the male's difficulty in connecting with her properly.  But again my knowledge with this species...

Welcome!  With 11 children and 121 mantids, you surely have your hands full!  =)  Do you know what species you have? What a great thing for your youngest to engage in, many good lessons.  Thanks for sharing and we will see you around!

New hatch of chinese nymphs currently L2.  singles for $7 starter kits $19 if you want a group of them PM me and i'll give you a deal www.theshadymantid.com

Lol.  Nothing like a good Rick Roll!  Glad to see people are still doing this. 

Yeah as the others said, switch out anything that was shared (substrate/enclosures/feeders).   It can be hard to see the physical signs of black death with the ghosts when they are so dark to begin with.  Sounds like a good possibility though.  Sorry for the loss of your mantis friend.  Keep...