Question on Chinese mantids

[jxh11215]

I have seen many comments that it is harder to raise Chinese mantids and I wonder why? I originally got mine for my grandson via a kit on Amazon. My daughter freaked out so he just gets 'visitation' rights when he's over, but I'm in love with them.

Many hatched and a lot were put into my garden where I spy them occasionally, the rest got separated into various containers about 4 each. They're eating (so far not each other), and growing and starting to look a very pretty green. I've caught them molting, stealing food from one another and hunting down the hapless little fruit flies. I feed and mist and don't understand why they are considered so much trouble. Can anyone tell me?

 

[Rick]

Once they have molted a time or two they are pretty easy. Problem is there are almost always mass die offs within the first couple weeks of hatching.

 

[jxh11215]

Once they have molted a time or two they are pretty easy. Problem is there are almost always mass die offs within the first couple weeks of hatching.

Ha! That must have happened in my garden! I only found one or two dead ones in the cage.

 

[hibiscusmile]

yeppers thats what happened!

 

[-MK-]

I'm raising a bunch of Chinese right now, and I agree that they get much easier to take care of after even just the first molt. This is my first time at this, and I luckily didn't have what I'd call any mass die-offs soon after hatching, although there are definitely fewer bugs now than when I started.

The hatchlings are so tiny and fragile that they are easily killed by many possible accidents - even a large droplet of water can be enough to drown one if it falls into it and happens to land on its back. However, I've rescued several who appeared to have drowned, put them somewhere dry, and most of them revived after a few minutes. Some also seem to never learn how to hunt, and others just die for no apparent reason.

Luckily, in my case, most of my L1s made it to L2 and most of them are now L3. Also luckily, I've seen very little evidence of cannibalism for the entire time I've had them. Their enclosure is big and well-stocked with fruit flies, which might have helped somewhat because they have lots of room to themselves and easier prey than each other is abundant. Plus, any time I see a couple of them fighting, or looking like they're getting ready to fight, they get squirted with the water bottle and they disperse.

Some have already been released into my back yard, with many more to be released soon since they're pretty big and tough now. So far, it's been a lot of work sometimes, but a great experience which I'll almost certainly do again next summer.

 

[Katnapper]

I'm raising a bunch of Chinese right now, and I agree that they get much easier to take care of after even just the first molt. This is my first time at this, and I luckily didn't have what I'd call any mass die-offs soon after hatching, although there are definitely fewer bugs now than when I started. The hatchlings are so tiny and fragile that they are easily killed by many possible accidents - even a large droplet of water can be enough to drown one if it falls into it and happens to land on its back. However, I've rescued several who appeared to have drowned, put them somewhere dry, and most of them revived after a few minutes. Some also seem to never learn how to hunt, and others just die for no apparent reason.

Luckily, in my case, most of my L1s made it to L2 and most of them are now L3. Also luckily, I've seen very little evidence of cannibalism for the entire time I've had them. Their enclosure is big and well-stocked with fruit flies, which might have helped somewhat because they have lots of room to themselves and easier prey than each other is abundant. Plus, any time I see a couple of them fighting, or looking like they're getting ready to fight, they get squirted with the water bottle and they disperse.

Some have already been released into my back yard, with many more to be released soon since they're pretty big and tough now. So far, it's been a lot of work sometimes, but a great experience which I'll almost certainly do again next summer.

Sounds like you're doing great with them, Mike... you're a natural!

 

[jxh11215]

I have to admit that I have been neglecting my 'reading' so not sure what L my chinese are at the moment. I had to help one molt yesterday, it was struggling to get out and fell off the leaf. I ended up picking it up with some tweezers and holding upside down while it finished emerging--its now doing just fine. I'm amazed at how much bigger they are after every molt--most are now almost two inches long--they are much bigger than their brothers and sisters that I am still finding in my garden. I have 4 to a container and I don't have evidence of any interest in cannibalizing each other, although they don't seem above stealing food. A couple just don't seem that good at hunting, they run from anything that gets near them so I guess they have to resort to theft.

I hope they are having as good a time with me as I'm having with them!

 

[Katnapper]

Sounds like you're doing very well with yours too, Jesslyn! I'm really glad you're enjoying them.

 

[kmsgameboy]

I have seen many comments that it is harder to raise Chinese mantids and I wonder why? I originally got mine for my grandson via a kit on Amazon. My daughter freaked out so he just gets 'visitation' rights when he's over, but I'm in love with them.Many hatched and a lot were put into my garden where I spy them occasionally, the rest got separated into various containers about 4 each. They're eating (so far not each other), and growing and starting to look a very pretty green. I've caught them molting, stealing food from one another and hunting down the hapless little fruit flies. I feed and mist and don't understand why they are considered so much trouble. Can anyone tell me?

I have been a mantid fan for a LONG time and was blessed enought to find a Chinese in my yard. She has been a pleasure so far!

 

[nasty bugger]

The one's inside probably have optimal temps and food, so they grow faster, but the saying is 'the faster they grow, the faster they die' as their life will be shortened with accelerated growth.

I had chinese matids put out an ooth in 3 months, then I think she got into the diatomacious earth and died. My ooths were fertile, but I am wanting to do only native species now anyway. The chinese will kill off the natives if they get too much of a foothold, that's my thinking anyway.

I let some full grown chinese mantis' go into the wild in the early spring, so I would imagine they've departed their earthly bodies by now, but who knows.

They really aren't difficult to raise. If you only have one or two then there are the possible molt probs, but they are really simple to raise, just seperate them when they start getting an inkling for mantis head for dinner. I found a set of wings and legs in one of my pots the other day. My pots hang from the ceiling from a chandelier type hanger and they liked perching on the hanger waiting to pounce.