# Gas station mantis



## Ghostie (Aug 19, 2010)

Picked up a new mantis species yesterday! While shopping for gas! lol

This lil guy was out front of the gas station doorway! Waiting to be squished by somebody no doubt.

Anyone know what species it is? Thanks!

I carried him around in my backpack yesterday until I got him home. Gonna probably release him in my grandmas bushes since it seems like a less hostile location then next to the gas station automatic doors!

I also found another one of those Stagmomantis Limbatas on my motorcycle at the post office while dropping off my orchid for overnight delivery to Laura! Yesterday was crazy! Mantises just coming to me now lol I think the stagmomantis is the male I needed to breed to my 4 female stag!

They both drank lots of water like a bunch of mantids who never have before. The big one was drinking for a good 20 minutes I was shocked!


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## tier (Aug 19, 2010)

Hi

It's a _Mantis religiosa_ aka European.


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## Ghostie (Aug 19, 2010)

Thanks Tier!

Those big spots on the arm give it away!

It's a beauty. gonna go let it go in a better area. I don't think the gas station is so good for it in the concrete jungle.. only thing is maybe it's mates around the gas station too. I'll have to go look!


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## LauraMG (Aug 19, 2010)

That European is a looker! I love that spot on the inside of his claws. You've got mantids coming at you like I do! :lol: Let me know when you have one inexplicably in your house!


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## Ghostie (Aug 19, 2010)

Lol the limbata on my motorcycle when coming out of the post office takes the cake!

He was sitting there by the gauge cluster like he wanted me to find him! :blink: 

I'm gonna have to go outside and look like a weirdo and comb my apartments for mantis cause all these mantises were found within a mile of each other.

The European I found at the gas station across the street from my house.


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## LauraMG (Aug 19, 2010)

Sweet! I may go hunting today too since my son started school. I'm all alone and can hunt behind my apartments where it's all undeveloped and overgrown! Did you take the limbata home?


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## Ghostie (Aug 19, 2010)

Yes I have him. At least I think it's a him!

He does not have purple legs like my other limbata. But he has all the rest of the same features, and an extra segment or two on his abdomen that make me think he might be the one I need! Fingers crossed. I'll grow him to sub-adult and give him a better look-over.


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## Seattle79 (Aug 19, 2010)

Ghostie said:


> Yes I have him. At least I think it's a him!
> 
> He does not have purple legs like my other limbata. But he has all the rest of the same features, and an extra segment or two on his abdomen that make me think he might be the one I need! Fingers crossed. I'll grow him to sub-adult and give him a better look-over.


You got a male Stagmomantis limbata? Nice! I have 3 females so far, but haven't come across a male limbata just yet. The males seem to be hard to obtain. Is your male a pretty decent flier?


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## ismart (Aug 19, 2010)

The, _mantis religiosa_ is a female.


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## Rick (Aug 19, 2010)

Do you still have the european mantis? Are you interested in donating it for Bugfest? I need one.


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## Ghostie (Aug 19, 2010)

I can do that.

How do you want to do shipment?

I have no idea on her age or anything though. She just ate a cricket now and seems to be calming down.

On the Limbata still not 100% sure m or f and no wings yet so no flying. This one about half grown I'd say L5 maybe I'm still pretty new to this though.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 19, 2010)

Seattle79 said:


> You got a male Stagmomantis limbata? Nice! I have 3 females so far, but haven't come across a male limbata just yet. The males seem to be hard to obtain. Is your male a pretty decent flier?


Even if it is a good flyer, I don't think it will make it to you :tt2:


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## cloud jaguar (Aug 19, 2010)

... ah, so the arm spots are euros --- i thought it was a mediterranean mantis.... d'oh! never seen one before..... only tons of limbatas and 1 californica a couple of years ago


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## Seattle79 (Aug 19, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> Even if it is a good flyer, I don't think it will make it to you :tt2:


Darn! I was hoping. Okay....  

-Kevin


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## Seattle79 (Aug 21, 2010)

Caught a male Stagmomantis limbata the other day. He has some red coloration on him and needs to molt one more time to become an adult. After that I'll wait for a few weeks until he is mature enough to mate with my 3 females. Hopefully they'll be well fed enough so they don't eat him.

-Kevin


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 21, 2010)

Oh good! I could use some ooths!


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## Seattle79 (Aug 21, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> Oh good! I could use some ooths!


Sure, if I get a good number of ooths I'll give you some. I know they will have a happy home.  

-Kevin


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## Ghostie (Aug 21, 2010)

Let my European go earlier today!

Sent it home to the bush with the other mantids.

Good luck gas station mantis! haha

Will probably have some Stagmomantis Limbata ooths and babies in a couple more months.

Still need some mantises to mature a bit.


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## Schloaty (Aug 25, 2010)

Hey! This is great! My daughter found one of those when we went to Fire Island last week (in NYS, off the coast of Long Island). I wasn't sure either about what species it was, since you normally just find Chinese there....It is a really pretty species.


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## LauraMG (Aug 25, 2010)

Schloaty said:


> Hey! This is great! My daughter found one of those when we went to Fire Island last week (in NYS, off the coast of Long Island). I wasn't sure either about what species it was, since you normally just find Chinese there....It is a really pretty species.


Post a pic and someone can ID it for you! I'd like to see too....


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## Schloaty (Aug 26, 2010)

Hey Laura,

I didn't take a pic - but I guess I didn't need to. Spitting image of Ghostie's.

They're really neat - great wing detail, and the arm spots are cool.


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