# First Real Mating (Popa spurca)



## Malakyoma (Mar 9, 2013)

Hey guys. Just wanted to share my recent success with you.

Around midnight last night I figured even though I hadn't seen the female calling and both the female and male weren't quite at the point Popas can mate (She was 3 and a bit weeks, he was about 12 days adult), I would put them together and see what happened. I was very watchful, and was ready to intercept if the female wasnt happy since this is my only pair of Popa spurca.

So around midnight I introduce them. Not a lot of interest from the male and the female is doing her stick routine and wont move even if I poke her, so I put the male on her back. Around 12:30 she starts moving around a little, and the male has to adjust so that he stays on her back, but he hadn't assumed the position at that point. With a little wind-work at 1:00 the male grabbed her waist and crouched low, and I still kept watch. It was at 2:22, when Mantisman wrapped up our convo and head to bed that the male connected.

Again, this being my only pair of Popa spurca, I dont trust putting them in a big enclosure and leaving them because she could still grab him when he gets off and then no more male, so I've stayed up since they connected at 2:22 to keep an eye on things, and when he disconnects I'll be there to protect him while he dismounts.

I say this is my first real mating because I did have a connection with my P. aeruginosa a few months ago, but it didn't last more than an hour. This one has been going on for over 4 so far. Kinda hoping he wraps it up soon so I can go to sleep.


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## agent A (Mar 9, 2013)

Thats an unusually long mating for popa i must say


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## Malakyoma (Mar 9, 2013)

agent A said:


> Thats an unusually long mating for popa i must say


Still connected 5 hours later.


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## sinensispsyched (Mar 9, 2013)

Congrats! Good luck with this sp!


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## Malakyoma (Mar 9, 2013)

Just disconnected 5h40min later. The male made quite the get away too. as soon as he was done he sprinted off the back end of her and flew across the room. Didn't leave his number or anything.


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## Malakyoma (Mar 9, 2013)

Spermatophore ejecion:


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## Reptiliatus (Mar 10, 2013)

Congrats Mike! I'm glad you were able to mate them.

My male is still a subadult  ...


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## sally (Mar 10, 2013)

Yay. great job Mike and mantids!


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## Malakyoma (Mar 10, 2013)

Reptiliatus said:


> Congrats Mike! I'm glad you were able to mate them.
> 
> My male is still a subadult  ...


I hope he can power through it. Have your females laid any duds? or are they still in their prime?


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## Malakyoma (Mar 11, 2013)

She layed an ooth today. Looks good.


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## Reptiliatus (Mar 11, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> I hope he can power through it. Have your females laid any duds? or are they still in their prime?


One female laid a dud. I don't know why my male hasn't molted yet. Think I can borrow your male when we make our transaction?

Thank you.


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## Malakyoma (Mar 14, 2013)

Put them together again. At first she didn't seem interested, fluttered her wings to keep him off when he was tip-toeing, but he decided to jump on anyway, and she started running and swatting at him and I was worried I'd have to separate before one of them got hurt, but she calmed down quick and let him on her back and they're now connected again. I can't take a clear shot because they're right above the opening flap of the net cube.


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## Malakyoma (Mar 16, 2013)

Here's the only picture I could get that shows they mated:






With the flash on all I saw was white fabric, so I turned it off and the shutter timer down to get more of the light coming through the cube.

Unfortunately around 5:00 pm I went downstairs to eat dinner, and when I came back he had disconnected and got grabbed trying to dismount. He was unsaveable. Hopefully these two matings allow her to lay fertile oothecae.


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## mantid_mike (Mar 16, 2013)

My popa female must have been mated at least 5 times and she still hasn't laid an ooth. I have no idea why she's holding out on me.


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

Her first ooth hatched today, almost exactly a month later. This makes me a real breeder  I raised the female and the male, and I mated them, and she laid in my enclosure, and I hatched the ooth in my net cube. I've come full cycle for the first time, and I couldn't be happier.


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## aychen222 (Apr 9, 2013)

This is exactly what I want to do with all sp.! As well as make all of them more common in culture. Mantids should be like dogs, all kids should want to have one growing up.


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> Her first ooth hatched today, almost exactly a month later. This makes me a real breeder  I raised the female and the male, and I mated them, and she laid in my enclosure, and I hatched the ooth in my net cube. I've come full cycle for the first time, and I couldn't be happier.


congrats! i'm jealous!!! nline2long: 



aychen222 said:


> This is exactly what I want to do with all sp.! As well as make all of them more common in culture. Mantids should be like dogs, all kids should want to have one growing up.


agreed, agreed, AGREED.


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## aNisip (Apr 9, 2013)

With an abdomen like that you could have let him with her and it wouldn't have been a prob and u couldve gotten some sleep  

And yup abt a month incubation is all it takes....

And my first popa female had her second ooth hatch and a pair from that ooth made it to adult and I got some pics of the mom and daughter adults....it was sad when she passed a week ago bc her daughter wouldn't stop staring in the general direction og her moms enclosure....


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## OctoberRainne (Apr 9, 2013)

Congrats,I will someday get into these


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