# How do you know...?



## sk8erkho (May 24, 2007)

How do you know when/if your mantids are ready to mate? Is it instinctual? Do you just put them in the tank together and let it roll or out of the tank in close proximity or what? Though I'd prefer to leave the breeding to the breeders, my little guys are curious as I am and when they asked I stood there with a big question mark over my head and replied, "I guess they just Know!!????"


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## Way.Of.The.Mantis (May 24, 2007)

This guys a hoot!


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## Way.Of.The.Mantis (May 24, 2007)

No, but seriously to start with you need *mature* specimens.


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## Butterfly (May 24, 2007)

I know its been said here before and that Im probably off but I believe its a few weeks after their last molt into adulthood.


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## sk8erkho (May 24, 2007)

Are the males usually much smaller than the females. I have one little guy that my nephew insists is just a late bloomer . It came out of the same exact ooth as the rest from January and still it's like half the size of the other L4-5s. I saw some of the photos from some mating threads and it seems the males are much smaller. So, I told my little dude last night that perhaps it's Not female as first thought but male since it is like waaay smaller than some of the others. Unfortunately, a lot of them fell prey to the stronger few so as for the males of the species I guess the females ate them all as nymphs. He has trouble believing such a scenario so I suggested he does the research and come to me with a more logical conclusion. I'm still waiting! :wink:


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## Rick (May 24, 2007)

> Are the males usually much smaller than the females. I have one little guy that my nephew insists is just a late bloomer . It came out of the same exact ooth as the rest from January and still it's like half the size of the other L4-5s. I saw some of the photos from some mating threads and it seems the males are much smaller. So, I told my little dude last night that perhaps it's Not female as first thought but male since it is like waaay smaller than some of the others. Unfortunately, a lot of them fell prey to the stronger few so as for the males of the species I guess the females ate them all as nymphs. He has trouble believing such a scenario so I suggested he does the research and come to me with a more logical conclusion. I'm still waiting! :wink:


Your answers are right here in this board all you gotta do is find them. Males are usually smaller than females when they are both adults. But sometimes mantids from the same ooth grow at different rates.


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## sk8erkho (May 24, 2007)

By the way, this girls a hoot!!! :wink: An unintentional hoot!!


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## AFK (May 24, 2007)

skaterho, one thing i can tell you though is that i'm ready to mate with you! ^_^


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## Way.Of.The.Mantis (May 25, 2007)




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