If you could pick two favorite Mantis?

[angelofdeathzz]

I f you could only pick two different species of mantis to raise what would they be and a short (if possible) reason why?

Mine would be Idolomantis Diabolica --no suprise there -- and then maybe budwings as I love their aggressive nature and cool large eyes, their ounce for ounce one mean machine.

 

[kitkat39]

I think I'd definitely have to agree with you there man! Those are the exact two that I would pick as well.

Idolomantis Diabolica - This is like the hottest girl in the club or the bar. The one that every single guy tries to throw cheesy pick up lines to, yet all of them will get rejected... To have her means everyone else will be jealous of you.. simply put! However, she DOES have her high maintenance that goes along with that beauty! She won't eat anything other than high class expensive food (things gotta fly before she even wants to eat it! Mine don't even attack FLIES until they start flying)

Budwing Mantis - This is like the cute/pretty tomboyish girl that you know that is willing to drink BEER and knock another person on their butt when everyone else has to have their fancy looking Martini inside a Martini glass! Budwings are not too small and not too big, however, females could handle food that much bigger mantids could handle! Their dead rate and mismolting problems are also extremely LOW. I seriously think I could raise every single one that hatched out of an ooth to adult if I simply focused on it.. even when I don't a very high number of them will still make it. I love that strong look that they've got, and also all of the COLORS that they do possess! Love the Animal print that they've got (The tiger stripes on their arms and legs) Although it does not have very many cryptic features to it, a simple poke to the head put on this incredible threat display that shows off even MORE colors that were hidden before! These are one of the most aggressive species of mantis that I've seen, taking on food as big or bigger than they are AND some are willing to leap at it from far away to grab it! I think that if I one day gave up on mantids.. the Budwing would be THEE species that I keep continuing with simply due to the ease of care, aggressiveness, and awesome features it's got.

Budwings for the win! =)

Deroplatys Lobata are also one of my faves, but mating them makes me want to kick someone's teeth out.

 

[kitkat39]

Here's another video showing how easy it is to piss them off! THEY HOLD GRUDGES TOO! LOL!!!

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Kiet that was some awesome footage, the pounce on their pray is second to none.and that last video was some ticked off hate of your thumb. LOL

 

[patrickfraser]

I have a really mean chinese sub adult female. She attacks like that. I named her Dragon Lady. I cant wait to see her throw some wing into it. LOL

Oh, I like them all, because they are mantids.

 

[sporeworld]

Idolo (noted above) and probably Orchids. I think Orchids may be the most visually entertaining mantid L1-to adult. My staff always spend more time looking at them, and they're number one to hold.

I'm all Gongy at heart, but they're drab in color, which (sadly) knocks them out of the running. And once you've had an adult Idolo on your hand, ghosts (for all their greatness) just won't cut it. Epic size. Epic colors. Epic frame. And great personalities.

I'm hopeful that my next round of Thistle Mantids will be a new favorite... Fingers crossed.

 

[weathmatth]

That last video made me chuckle :lol:

 

[wyethia]

Here's another video showing how easy it is to piss them off! THEY HOLD GRUDGES TOO! LOL!!!

Bad thumb, BAD!

Those videos are great. Right now m little budwings are the most mellow of all the ones I got, I would doubt their reputation if it weren't for their aerobatics when I move things around their enclosure and they jump down.

I'll refrain from picking favorites until I have some adults

Wyethia

 

[animalexplorer]

I can't just pick 2 it's got to be 3 for me. It would be Diabolica, Coronatus, and Wahlbergii. Because they are elaborately and excessively decorated ornately with incredible colors and markings.

The budwings definitely have some great character too them. I've been spending a great deal of time watching these cute little buggers from L1 and they are cute they act like kittens caught in play mode. The Video posted here is fantastic showing a bit of the toughness that species displays if nessessary. The bud's has it out for the thumb!

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I've always been fond of the Chinese Mantids. Plan Jane they might be considered in the hobby, but I enjoy the stereotypical mantis build, the large size, and fierce hunters they make. I also think they can look very stunning and love the brilliant green eyes they so often get. I also love this species activity level. I have a large custom built screen cage and always found it amusing how the Chinese would walk back and forth across the top literally following me about whenever I was moving about in that section of my room. This is the species that first got me into mantises. Even the wild adults I have caught have always been confident sweethearts when it comes to handling. :wub:

My other new love is the Euchomonella macrops. I consider them the best kept secret of the mantis world. They are very similar to the Chinese in temperament only they are just about as sweet as you can get. I've never once seen one of these throw off a threat pose. They are little darlings. The females get the cutest tiniest nub wings. They are slightly less active then the Chinese so it is easier to keep an eye on them when they are out. Mine often spend the day perched on a plant on my desk. Speaking of which, that is another plus, they will actually use the sticks and plants you add to your cages at times. Not like the Chinese who will loudly scoff at any attempts at decorating and then hop up on the screen. Finally I also enjoy the longer life expectancy with this species. I love the Chinese mantids but they tend to have one of the shorter life cycles.

One of these days I am going to have to try an Idolo but to be honest they have to be one of my least favorite mantises in terms of looks... *Ducks behind a corner before she gets stoned to death by all the Idolo fangirls on the board.

 

[GreenOasis]

I will only allude to the species I have personally kept. I believe Idolos are beautiful, but I can't speak to their personality.

#1 for me is definitely going to be Shields. They are aggressive with their prey, but absolute darlings to handle. I have yet to tick one off enough to flare up for me, but then, I haven't really tried either! They are also easy to breed...my male has survived breeding both females and is still alive more than two months later. The only bad thing is that the younger Shields seem to be prone to mismolts unless humidity is kept fairly high. They are a thirsty bunch on the same level as the Chinese.

#2 on my favs list is the Violins. While I have yet to behold an adult, I have full confidence that I will still love them then. They are communal, which is a big bonus for me, and they have a very elegant look to them. I consider them the "Executive Desk Pet" of the mantis world, as I could just see the practical CEO of a big corporation with a tank full of Violins, instead of expensive/fragile saltwater fish. I have yet to have one mismolt on me and I have yet to attempt breeding them, but so far, they are just way out cool.

Now, I will give you what I know to be my husband's top two, since I just know him that well:

#1 - Idolomantis Diabolica - It's the "cool" factor. The only "flower" mantis that a manly man should ever consider owning. He doesn't know much more about them except the molting problem, and he's confident that he can create an ideal setup to prevent that problem.

#2 - Ghosts - Yes, they are small, but they are just too friggin' awesome! He likes that they have that bizarre alien look to them, yet they are as simple as all get-out to care for, breed & hatch a new generation. They'll also eat anything they can grab...awesome!

Honorable mention: Hubby is also enthralled with the idea of getting Megas...though, I'm not sure why, except for the fact that they just seem to be so hard to obtain. (We both have Nordstrom's tastes on a K-mart budget!) Find a one-of-a-kind muscle car or motorcycle, and he'll probably want that, too! Of course, so would I!

 

[Marianna]

Maybe because it's the only one I've ever known personally .... but the Chinese Mantid has my loyalty right now. Through many challenges, he has kept going - crippled, unable to hunt, and putting up with my lack of experience!!! And besides that, I think he likes me.

I'm with Krissim Klaw on the Chinese.

 

[macawlover2]

I would have to say my favorite would be the ghosts. I'm pretty new to the hobby, so I don't know of many species out there... But those ghosts are just so cool looking! They'll definitely be the next mantis I buy. I could raise an entire ooth of them!

Second would probably be the Idolomantis Diabolica. They're gorgeous mantids! It was between them and the orchids, but for some reason my mind autoatically thinks of orchids as being really fragile, probably steering me away from picking them as my second favorite mantis.

kitkat, your last video was awesome! I love it! What an angry mantis, trying to be all scary and stuff I can just see him/her saying "Take that! I just grabbed your thumb! Be scared! Gahhh! "

 

[sporeworld]

...for some reason my mind autoatically thinks of orchids as being really fragile, probably steering me away from picking them as my second favorite mantis.

If you get a chance, or see a deal, get an Orchid. Not fragile at all, really agressive and more captivating to watch than even Idolo (IMO). Also, in my opinion, THE most attractive nymphs.

I'd also like to boost up Chinese (adult Female) to distant 3rd. Full wings, agression, huge in size and pretty darn good flyers.

 

[warpdrive]

if I had to name just two it would be Ghosts and Orchids.

my ghosts have been a great starter mantid for me to learn with. sadly, my females have been so nice, but my first adult male hates them and killed off my first two adult females.

waiting for my last male and female to reach adulthood.

with that said, I just love them. plenty of colors and loads of fun to have make them my top favorite.

now who doesn't love Orchids. sadly I still think that I have all females. lets hope that I'm wrong.

they are all great eaters. they have been eatting houseflys since L2 and once they hit L4 I'll bet that they will tackle bluebottles.

I'm going to add a 3rd because I can't stop at just two.

D. Lobata are my true number two favorite as they are just a pleasure to have. sure, mine are defective in that they never play dead...lol

but who cares. they eat anything. have not gone crazy and eatten each other like I've been warned about. (I keep 10 of them in a 12" net cage.) they don't seem to like hights as much as others. in fact I had one molt to L4 or L5 last night and it's head was too close to the bottom, regardless that he had plenty of places to molt above the bottom 3rd of the cage.

yes, I know that I'm going to pull the last of my hair out once I start to try breeding them, but they are fun for now. you would not think that a mix of L3-L5 would get along so well right now, but they do...yet BB flys have plenty to fear from them.

Harry

 

[guapoalto049]

I'd have to say shields #1. They are large, very stock, super aggressive, and seem to enjoy being handled. I really don't know if there is a stronger mantis, between its foreleg strength and its tarsal grip.

#2 may be orchids. Unfortunately I haven't kept any yet, but their beauty is top notch.

I didn't choose Idolos simply because of their clumsiness. They would be an instant #1 if they were more aggressive and coordinated. Sometimes I feel that they are like an uncoordinated teenager who isn't used to being so tall. Also, imo what's good about being big if you don't eat something big?

Ghosts are neat but subadult females take really long to grow and don't eat much.

Budwings are cool but give 'em steroids and its basically a shield.

Chinese and violins are also cool, but they can be pretty skittish sometimes, like never-ending walking around in the cage/your hand.

 

[lancaster1313]

I don't think that I could choose 2 favorites. I have only kept Chinese and Carolinas, but like the idea of something a little more aggressive, like the Budwings. I like looking at photos and videos of the fancier species of mantids, and will probably try them out one day, but I really prefer that classic "Praying mantis" look.

 

[MantidLord]

My two favorites: Tenodera sinensis and Litanuetria minor.

The chinese were described above, absolutely large and aggressive.

L. minor, they're small but really aggressive. I love the way they run towards their prey on an instant. The fact that they stay near the ground reminds me of lizards. The only downfall is getting them passed the L1 stage and maybe L2 stage requires springtails. Other than that, easy to breed and fun to watch. And the coloration and patterns...brilliant.

My two dream mantids: The aforementioned budwing and the wide arm (Cilnia humeralis). I see them both as the top two most aggressive species of mantis, so I gotta have them.

Quick question, are there two species of budwing? If so, what's in the hobby and what's the difference?

 

[macawlover2]

Thanks for the info, sporeworld! I didn't know they were such good eaters, I may have to try and get some... after my future ghosts, most likely