# dramatic color change



## Lan (Nov 19, 2005)

here's a picture of my african mantis before his recent shed





and after he shed





looks like he got a nice tan. :lol: 

can anyone tell me what species? or what instar? i think he's starting to develop wings.


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## Ian (Nov 19, 2005)

yeah, looks like pretty large wing buds forming. I would day he/she was either sub, or sub sub adult.

The colour change is, most of the time, due to what temperature, light levels and humitity they are kept at.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Jwonni (Nov 19, 2005)

where are the big bud wings? if possible puttuing a red circle round em and rehosting would be good


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## Lan (Nov 19, 2005)

your wish has been granted


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## Jwonni (Nov 19, 2005)

oh thx i think i know what your on about now


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## Lan (Nov 19, 2005)

i'm guessing it's still too early to determine what species he is.


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## Rick (Nov 19, 2005)

Looks like an african mantis to me.


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## Lan (Nov 19, 2005)

yeah he's definitely an african mantis, but is he lineola/centralia/viridis?


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## Rick (Nov 19, 2005)

Oh I don't know about that.


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## KennethJ78 (Nov 20, 2005)

count the yellowish - white dots on the inside of the coxa ( for-arms )

4 small dots = S. lineola

3 large dots = S. viridis


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## DeShawn (Nov 20, 2005)

Looks like you have yourself a male lineola or centralis. I would guess sub sub-adult. The wing buds are still pretty small, although it is a tough call for the first 10 days after it sheds. I guess we will find out for sure in a month!


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## Lan (Dec 12, 2005)

just thought i'd update: well my african mantis molted again and it took about 20 days in between.

before:





after:





after reading Ian's reply i increased the humidity of the enclosure by spraying every day, and this was the outcome. i did not change the temperature or provide any extra lighting. this color morph was caused solely by humidity. i just find it amazing how easy it is to influence the color. so cool...


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## Ian (Dec 12, 2005)

Yeah! nice one! I did the same with my rubratsigmata, and the more humid, they more green, and the less humid produced dark brown colours.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Rib (Dec 12, 2005)

I always tend to believe that the mantis I recieve of a lighter colour have been better looked after. You often notice that Mantids kept in cups in vast quantities and not looked after so much remain a darker colour due to the lack of humidity. This is only really obvious in the African species though. Can't really be helped if you have that many Mantids to keep I suppose unless you have alot of time to fill


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## Jwonni (Dec 13, 2005)

my african is kept pretty humid as i only recently told my mam it didn't need to be high humidity until now she sprays like its monsoon season but she was quite green when i got her but after her first moult she got a lot greener and its a brighter deeper green so perhaps mine is also due to humiidty


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## hortus (Dec 13, 2005)

ima try with my chinese


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## Rib (Dec 16, 2005)

I had a dramatic colour change with my African Mantis yesterday

from







to






doesn't evewn look like the same Mantis


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## Lan (Dec 16, 2005)

nice pics! i like the lighting. were you keeping your african mantis at a low humidity level too?


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## Rib (Dec 16, 2005)

i wasn't no, but in fairness its turned a bright yellow rather than a dull sandy colour


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## Lan (Dec 16, 2005)

wait a few more days because the color will get darker.


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## Rib (Dec 16, 2005)

yeah i know that, she was original a very pasty colour when she first shed. She's stopped changing now though. Well until the next shed at least


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## Lan (Jan 24, 2006)

*UPDATE!*

my african mantis finally shed into an adult yesterday! it's amazing how big they get after their last molt. now can anyone tell me if it's lineola or centralis? it has two eyespots on its wings, but i'm not sure if you can see it in the photo. and how much longer do they have to live after entering adulthood? thanks in advance!

before:





after:


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