# Deroplatys lobata have mated!



## MantidBro (Oct 22, 2014)

Here's the female, Platysil:












Here's the male, Derotor:











Here's when he first jumped on... at first he was backwards, grabbing onto her anus. Then I helped switch him around. They were on my leg when he finally jumped on her. I tried a few times before this with no luck.






Here's when I transferred them to the shelf, in front of one of the heat lamps. She tried reaching back and grabbing him a few times, so I kept blocking her with my finger. Then started feeding her grasshoppers and flies.






And here he is, finally having inserted.






I ended up transferring them yet again, to a small container so I could take them with me into the living room, so I could be sure he wasn't eaten while I played video games. Then I transferred them yet again, to the "wild cage", which is a huuuge cage set up like the wild. I figured he'd be most likely to get away when he was finished if they were in there. I fell asleep, woke up, and they were STILL mating.

They mated from 5:07 yesterday to around 1pm today. 19 hours!! None of my mantids had ever mated that long before. WOW.

Well, I'm stoked! I won't be keeping all of her offspring and oothecae for myself - will be selling nymphs and oothecae for sure.


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## dmina (Oct 22, 2014)

Wow.. that was cool.. Thanks for sharing!

Both mantids are beautiful... I have 5 females, 1 male... about L5


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## sally (Oct 22, 2014)

That to me is a huge big deal. I have the hardest time with the lobatas mating


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## LAME (Oct 22, 2014)

I call dibs on a offspring!!  

lol no but really, congrats buddy.


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## MantidBro (Oct 22, 2014)

dmina said:


> Wow.. that was cool.. Thanks for sharing!
> 
> Both mantids are beautiful... I have 5 females, 1 male... about L5


Yeah theyre awesome!

Agreed, theyre a very beautiful species


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## MantidBro (Oct 22, 2014)

sally said:


> That to me is a huge big deal. I have the hardest time with the lobatas mating


Some males are totally dumb... I had a male tenodera sinensis that would not mate with my females for the life of me. Found a different male and he mated with my females and my friends female. Lol. It was a piece of cake with that male, but impossible with the other male.


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## MantidBro (Oct 22, 2014)

LAME said:


> I call dibs on a offspring!!
> 
> lol no but really, congrats buddy.


Haha youll get more than one! what do you think, wanna try 3 this time, to ensure you get a female?

And thanks, im wicked glad lol, derotor is a man now LOL


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## JP77 (Oct 22, 2014)

Congrats! I hope you have many ooths!


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## MantidBro (Oct 22, 2014)

JP77 said:


> Congrats! I hope you have many ooths!


Thanks! me too!


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## Aryia (Oct 24, 2014)

Out of the three pairs I had, all of them jumped on by grapping the tip of the female's abdomen and twisting themselves on which makes them end up backwards. It's kind of interesting, maybe it's a technique passed down from father to son : )


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## MantidBro (Oct 24, 2014)

Aryia said:


> Out of the three pairs I had, all of them jumped on by grapping the tip of the female's abdomen and twisting themselves on which makes them end up backwards. It's kind of interesting, maybe it's a technique passed down from father to son : )


Lol


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## Rick (Oct 24, 2014)

Aryia said:


> Out of the three pairs I had, all of them jumped on by grapping the tip of the female's abdomen and twisting themselves on which makes them end up backwards. It's kind of interesting, maybe it's a technique passed down from father to son : )


I've seen that behavior in multiple species. I find it odd but maybe a way to protect himself initially.


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## sschind (Oct 24, 2014)

Great pics best of luck. Mine are not mature yet but I'm thinking soon. I've never bred mantids before and something tells me this is not the best species to begin with but I bought them as much for their interesting appearance as for the mating.

May I ask what the netting is in the last two pictures. It looks kind of like cammo netting without the cammo coloration but then again it looks kind of like the stuff my grandma would have made doilies out of. It looks like snake skin (especially towards the back of the picture) but I think that has to do with the cloth underneath. I really like it and if I can replicate it I may use it as a backdrop on my display tables.


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## dmina (Oct 24, 2014)

I think it's your grandma's doily's on a wood surface with light behind... I think...


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## MantidBro (Nov 1, 2014)

sschind said:


> Great pics best of luck. Mine are not mature yet but I'm thinking soon. I've never bred mantids before and something tells me this is not the best species to begin with but I bought them as much for their interesting appearance as for the mating.
> 
> May I ask what the netting is in the last two pictures. It looks kind of like cammo netting without the cammo coloration but then again it looks kind of like the stuff my grandma would have made doilies out of. It looks like snake skin (especially towards the back of the picture) but I think that has to do with the cloth underneath. I really like it and if I can replicate it I may use it as a backdrop on my display tables.


 its cloth from my friends wedding she gave me a bunch i use it for displaying my mantids as well as using it as a molting surface


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## MantidBro (Nov 1, 2014)

dmina said:


> I think it's your grandma's doily's on a wood surface with light behind... I think...


 i think its a wedding style table cloth, i cut it so i had more


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## MantidBro (Dec 18, 2014)

theyre mating for the second time now! and Platysil has laid one ootheca so far. It should be hatching soon! if youre interested in buying nymphs let me know!


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## LAME (Dec 19, 2014)

For the 2nd time? Haha!! Very nice job my friend  

Though I have to say I am eagerly awaiting that ooth  

I hope he makes it out alive again, maybe you could go for a third. Anyway, let us know how things turn out!


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## MantidBro (Dec 19, 2014)

LAME said:


> For the 2nd time? Haha!! Very nice job my friend
> 
> Though I have to say I am eagerly awaiting that ooth
> 
> I hope he makes it out alive again, maybe you could go for a third. Anyway, let us know how things turn out!


Thanks! But I gotta say, its mostly Derotor, he's co-operative, I mean Platysil is one attractive female! Lol! Funny how I literally just picked him up by his sides and placed him on her back and he clung on! The ootheca will be all yours, don't doubt it! An ooth for an ooth! He did make it out alive for the scond time, he jumped off about two hours ago. So from 7pm last night to 3-4pm today, that's 20 hours this time! HOLY!!!


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## LAME (Dec 19, 2014)

Wow, that crazy. Can't wait to get it


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## MantidBro (Dec 19, 2014)

LAME said:


> Wow, that crazy. Can't wait to get it


Im fillin her up so she will lay it quicker! ;-)


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## hibiscusmile (Dec 20, 2014)

Careful with the food, some think, it may cause egg bound. can't believe they mated, great! hey, when I first looked at the post, I only scrolled down a little while looking at the picture, so I did not get the part of the pic where your fingers were in it. All I saw was the skin and the mantis, at first glance it looked like a neck, shoulder &amp; arm, first thought was my God, how old and how awful to be that wrinkled.....LOLOLOLOL


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## MantidBro (Dec 20, 2014)

hibiscusmile said:


> Careful with the food, some think, it may cause egg bound. can't believe they mated, great! hey, when I first looked at the post, I only scrolled down a little while looking at the picture, so I did not get the part of the pic where your fingers were in it. All I saw was the skin and the mantis, at first glance it looked like a neck, shoulder &amp; arm, first thought was my God, how old and how awful to be that wrinkled.....LOLOLOLOL


Ive read that as well, i wont over do it, just feeding her a bit more to speed up the process ;-) LOOOL im only 22


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## MantidBro (Dec 28, 2014)

Well Platysil laid her first ootheca November 26th. I read it takes 30-40 days for an ootheca of this species to hatch. It's been exactly 32 days now. Should be soon! It does indeed look close. Getting darker and drier (by drier I mean the ridges are more visible now, when the ootheca is fresh, the ridges aren't really as pronounced). And the color is less like white now and more like a light brown/tan color.

My buddy died a couple days ago... Derotor, the male who fertilized Platysil. Sad... I'm sadder about this death, I raised him from L2, it's a bit different than finding sub-adults and adults in the wild.

I won't forget the cute, innocent fella!


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## dmina (Dec 28, 2014)

So sorry for your loss... all of mine .. I have had since L2.. you do get attached to these guys.. Flutter free Derotor

Hoping your ooth hatches soon...


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## MantidBro (Dec 28, 2014)

dmina said:


> So sorry for your loss... all of mine .. I have had since L2.. you do get attached to these guys.. Flutter free Derotor
> 
> Hoping your ooth hatches soon...


Thank you, im just glad he had a good life, and im sure all yours do as well and will die happily


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## MantidBro (Jan 4, 2015)

The ootheca hatched! Day 37. I've got about 40 nymphs. I'll post photos later! Man theyre adorable. I am selling btw, $5 every nymph.


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## MantidBro (Jan 5, 2015)




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## dmina (Jan 7, 2015)

OMG... the last two pics...priceless! Congrats...


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## dmina (Jan 7, 2015)

Thanks for sharing!


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## PrayingMantisPets (Jan 7, 2015)

Congrats!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! I have always wanted a Deroplatys lobata.


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## MantidBro (Jan 8, 2015)

dmina said:


> OMG... the last two pics...priceless! Congrats...


Haha right? adorable. Thanks!


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## MantidBro (Jan 8, 2015)

dmina said:


> Thanks for sharing!


Sure thing! gotta share my babies with the world ya know? haha thanks to you too, your mantods are awesome, you got quite a nice collection!


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## MantidBro (Jan 8, 2015)

PrayingMantisPets said:


> Congrats!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! I have always wanted a Deroplatys lobata.


Thanks, and youre welcome! i am selling nymphs if youd like


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## dmina (Jan 8, 2015)

MantidBro said:


> Sure thing! gotta share my babies with the world ya know? haha thanks to you too, your mantods are awesome, you got quite a nice collection!


Thanks! it's a work in progress...


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## MantidBro (Jan 8, 2015)

dmina said:


> Thanks! it's a work in progress...


Any time! lol


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## CosbyArt (Jan 8, 2015)

Not sure how I missed this thread. Amazing look at the hatching process, and those are some awesome images of the baby nymphs on the adult.


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## MantidBro (Jan 8, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Not sure how I missed this thread. Amazing look at the hatching process, and those are some awesome images of the baby nymphs on the adult.


Thanks! my pop has an iphone that can get up pretty close


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## CosbyArt (Jan 8, 2015)

Sure, and congrats - It sure is a experience


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## MantidBro (Jan 8, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Sure, and congrats - It sure is a experience


Thanks!


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## MantidBro (Jan 15, 2015)

Here's some photos of the nymphs:







I'm keeping this one... it has such a personality. Not scared of me at all. Very curious and interactive. I'm thinking it's female.






Eating. I'm all out of pinhead (REAL pinhead) crickets. And flying fruit flies are almost impossible to work with!! So I've been hand-feeding them all with a needle. Some adult cricket guts. It takes 2-3 hours to feed em all! But it's my job and is worth it.






Half a cricket leg! Huge meal! Lol






Again, the one I'm keeping... eagerly crawling onto my finger






AInt they cute? lol






Drinkin' water. This one is my fattest one at the moment.

Platysil the adult female also laid her second ootheca today! She laid her first one November 26th. So it's been like... a month and a week? She takes forever to lay lol. This one's going to LAME! He's sent me so much awesome stuff, so many times, he's the most generous person I know, or have ever met, literally! Heck, not even this ootheca could make up for it!


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## dmina (Jan 16, 2015)

They are too cute for their own good...

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!


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## idologrl (Jan 16, 2015)

Congrats!!!! What beautiful mantis! Thanks for the amazing pics!!!! Keep us posted on ooths and nymphs...Gotta love our mantis...


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## MantidBro (Jan 16, 2015)

dmina said:


> They are too cute for their own good...
> 
> Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!


Haha right??

Thanks!


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## MantidBro (Jan 16, 2015)

idologrl said:


> Congrats!!!! What beautiful mantis! Thanks for the amazing pics!!!! Keep us posted on ooths and nymphs...Gotta love our mantis...


Thanks! yes they are! ill definitely keep ya posted, yes definitely gotta love em!!


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## LAME (Jan 16, 2015)

Looks like ill have many....Many dead leafs on my hands! XD

plus, you know the deal.. "You scratch my back,I'll scratch yours..."


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## MantidBro (Jan 16, 2015)

LAME said:


> Looks like ill have many....Many dead leafs on my hands! XD
> 
> plus, you know the deal.. "You scratch my back,I'll scratch yours..."


Ooooh yeah!!  

Exactly!


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## MantidBro (Jan 20, 2015)

Heres a video of the one im keeping (L1):


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## dmina (Jan 21, 2015)

Those video's were awesome... they are growing so fast! So cute... Thanks for sharing! Keep us updated!


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## CosbyArt (Jan 21, 2015)

Nice videos and looks like you found a great keeper. She is very curious and seems to be quite the lap mantis (like a lap dog always wanting to be held)


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## Krissim Klaw (Jan 21, 2015)

Those are some super cute nymphs.


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## MantidBro (Jan 21, 2015)

dmina said:


> Those video's were awesome... they are growing so fast! So cute... Thanks for sharing! Keep us updated!


Thanks! in the video i said itd been like a week but its been more like 3. Time flies!! they are cute for sure! ill keep you updated, you do the same!


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## MantidBro (Jan 21, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Nice videos and looks like you found a great keeper. She is very curious and seems to be quite the lap mantis (like a lap dog always wanting to be held)


Thanks, and for sure! I like her a lot.


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## MantidBro (Jan 21, 2015)

Krissim Klaw said:


> Those are some super cute nymphs.


Agreed! big brown eyes, gotta love em


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## MantidBro (Mar 25, 2015)

Ive sold all but 6 nymphs! All the ones I kept, were mismolties, since I didnt want to send anyone mismolties. But three of the six didnt make it do to this...

But the remaining 3 are fixed for the most part. Rezz is in fact 100% now. Lil B cant use his claws. And Brexta cant either and is also missing a leg. So those two still need to have a molt or two before being 100%.

It seems I have 3 males! I was hoping to have a female in the mix!

There's Brexta (L3), Lil B (L4), and Rezz (L5).

Fortunately, Platysil laid her 3rd ooth yesterday! So I should get a female from that batch.  

Hatching takes 30-45 days. It took 37 days for the first ooth, and 41 for the second ooth (given to LAME).

Here's a video of Rezz at L5, eating a mealworm:


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## LAME (Mar 25, 2015)

I'm keeping 2 nymphs out of mine. One is a mismoltee I already named "Gump!"

Betcha' can't guess the reference on that one! ^_+


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## MantidBro (Mar 25, 2015)

LAME said:


> I'm keeping 2 nymphs out of mine. One is a mismoltee I already named "Gump!"
> 
> Betcha' can't guess the reference on that one! ^_+


LOL awesome name!!


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## dmina (Mar 26, 2015)

Cute...cute... CUTE!


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## Jay (Mar 26, 2015)

Those are just great pictures, MantisBro!


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## MantidBro (Mar 26, 2015)

dmina said:


> Cute...cute... CUTE!


Agreed!


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## MantidBro (Mar 26, 2015)

Jay said:


> Those are just great pictures, MantisBro!


Thanks!


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## MantidBro (Mar 26, 2015)

Lil B at L2:







Brexta at L2:






Rezz at L2:






Rezz at L3:






Rezz at L4:






Rezz at L5:






Platysil laying her 3rd ootheca:


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## dmina (Mar 27, 2015)

Really nice pics... thanks for sharing...


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## Jay (Mar 27, 2015)

Wow - that's a huge ooth. From the looks of it, she is trying to make that tripod a little more structurally sound. (=


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## MantidBro (Mar 27, 2015)

dmina said:


> Really nice pics... thanks for sharing...


Thanks! and sure thing!


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## MantidBro (Mar 27, 2015)

Jay said:


> Wow - that's a huge ooth. From the looks of it, she is trying to make that tripod a little more structurally sound. (=


Right?? I was like, omg shes still going?! Its the biggest one shes laid! Haha yeah!


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## LAME (Mar 28, 2015)

LOL!! Good lord its massive!


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## MantidBro (Mar 28, 2015)

LAME said:


> LOL!! Good lord its massive!


Right?! its bigger than she is loool


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## CosbyArt (Mar 28, 2015)

Looks like your have more nymphs coming up, congrats. I know who to come see for a few again


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## MantidBro (Mar 28, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Looks like your have more nymphs coming up, congrats. I know who to come see for a few again


Yup! Thanks! and haha  

And this time ill try to CORRECTLY sex them... Lol


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## CosbyArt (Mar 28, 2015)

MantidBro said:


> Yup! Thanks! and haha
> 
> And this time ill try to CORRECTLY sex them... Lol


Not worried at all about that, just means I get to deal again to get a female


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## MantidBro (Apr 6, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Not worried at all about that, just means I get to deal again to get a female


That's true but hopefully you won't have to go through the trouble!


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