# Mystymantis mantises



## Mystymantis (Oct 20, 2019)

Here is a thread that will have pictures of my mantises. When I get the time to upload some! Thought it was a good time to make a thread where I can post pictures when I get good ones in one place. Enjoy!


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## Mystymantis (Oct 20, 2019)

First up is a picture of my adult female Grizzled mantis Arcterus. She kept looking up when I was taking pictures it was kinda funny.

Oh wow quality of my picture seems to have gone down lots when I turned it into a jpeg.


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 20, 2019)

She's cute!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mystymantis (Oct 21, 2019)

Here is my female Chinese mantis Shaia with my male Chinese mantis Arrow getting business done.

And below is female Chinese mantis Clovermist enjoying some honey treat. She literally grabbed the fork wanting to eat it! Guess the honey was that good.


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## Mystymantis (Oct 21, 2019)

This is Snowflower my male Grizzled mantis.

Next is Selina my female Carolina mantis.

Next there is Violet my male Carolina mantis. He was looking all around when I was trying to get a picture of him.


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## mantisfan101 (Oct 22, 2019)

Do you plan on breeding the gonatista? If so, I'd love to buy some nymphs/ooths from you if you have extras.


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## The Mantis Menagerie (Oct 22, 2019)

Mystymantis said:


> View attachment 12678


This is exactly like when one of my Chinese mantids took a piece of golden kiwi off a spoon and ate it. I guess they just crave sugar sometimes.



mantisfan101 said:


> Do you plan on breeding the gonatista? If so, I'd love to buy some nymphs/ooths from you if you have extras.


Add me to that notification list! I probably will not be able to buy any more mantids, but maybe....


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 22, 2019)

The Mantis Menagerie said:


> Add ﻿me to that notification list! I probably will not be able to buy any more mantids, but maybe﻿....﻿


Add me to the list too!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady (Oct 29, 2019)

This picture made me laugh


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## hysteresis (Oct 31, 2019)

Haha! My Rhombodera and Hierodula will strike at whatever and think they're eating. Just about anything!


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## Mystymantis (Nov 3, 2019)

Guess what I managed to get my Grizzled mantises to breed! I am so excited! I put them in their own container and let them get to work.

Now just have to wait for Arcterius to lay an ootheca.

I am not sure if I am going to sell any, that is if she lays an ooth and it hatches and I have any extras, but if I do decide on selling any I will be sure to let you know @mantisfan101 and @MantisGirl13.


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## The Mantis Menagerie (Nov 3, 2019)

Mystymantis said:


> I am﻿ not sure if I am going to sell any, that is if she lays an ooth ﻿and it hatches and I have any extras, but if I do decide on sellin﻿g any I will be sure to let you know @mantisfan101 and @MantisGirl﻿13.


What about me!?!?


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## Mystymantis (Nov 3, 2019)

The Mantis Menagerie said:


> What about me!?!?


I'm sorry I missed you! If I do decide to sell I will let you know as well.

But right now I don't really have plans to sell them.


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## The Mantis Menagerie (Nov 3, 2019)

Mystymantis said:


> I'm sorry I missed you! If I do decide to sell I will let you know as well.
> 
> But right now I don't really have plans to sell them.


Thank you. This is one of my favorite species, even over many exotics.


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## mantisfan101 (Nov 3, 2019)

Awesome!! Nice, these should be more common in the hobby, they’re the most exotic lookinn natives we have(next to both texas and arizona unicorns)


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## Mystymantis (Jan 4, 2020)

Happy news!  My Grizzled mantis egg case hatched yesterday! I am so excited! They are so adorably cute! And have interesting behaviors. They are super fast and kinda skittish!


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## Skcib (Jan 4, 2020)

So cute! What a interesting species!


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## MrGhostMantis (Jan 4, 2020)

Will babies be for sale/trade?


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## MantisGirl13 (Jan 4, 2020)

Congratulations!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady (Jan 5, 2020)

Gratz on the hatch


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## Endorlado (Jan 8, 2020)

Mystymantis said:


> Guess what I managed to get my Grizzled mantises to breed! I am so excited! I put them in their own container and let them get to work.
> 
> Now just have to wait for Arcterius to lay an ootheca.
> 
> ...


Let me know if You wanna to trade ooths


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## Mystymantis (Jan 8, 2020)

Endorlado said:


> Let me know if You wanna to trade ooths


I will let you know.


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## MrGhostMantis (Jan 8, 2020)

I wanna get an ooth too!!


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## mantisfan101 (Jan 11, 2020)

Congrats on the hatch! Let us know if you have any spare ooths or babies!


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## Mystymantis (Jan 14, 2020)

mantisfan101 said:


> Congrats on the hatch! Let us know if you have any spare ooths or babies!


Right now just trying to keep the little ones alive, only a few left! I had a bunch die not sure why.  

But I suppose it is normal since nymphs are very delicate.


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## Mystymantis (Jan 14, 2020)

This is Glitter my Giant Asian _Hierodula membranacea _and she is 16 months old today! And still healthy and active.


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## mantisfan101 (Jan 14, 2020)

Sorry about that, hopefully the rest do ok! I read in orin’s book that the nymphs cannot ever be allowed to hang upside down and need to stay flat or vertical.


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## Mystymantis (Jan 14, 2020)

Yeah it is sad lost lots.


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## Mystymantis (Jan 14, 2020)

mantisfan101 said:


> Sorry about that, hopefully the rest do ok! I read in orin’s book that the nymphs cannot ever be allowed to hang upside down and need to stay flat or vertical.


How do you do that? make it so they stay flat or vertical?


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## Mystymantis (Mar 2, 2020)

Some updates.

This is Glint, my Grizzled mantis nymph one of only three from my first egg case hatching to survive. I was giving him a new cage yesterday and he was looking all around while I was getting pics. So cute!


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## Mystymantis (Mar 2, 2020)

And this is Darkstalker my male Ghost mantis nymph who molted the other day and I got a picture of him next to his molt which I thought was really cool.


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## Mystymantis (Apr 18, 2020)

Update!!

Darkstalker my ghost male molted to an adult!! I am so excited!! He has beautiful wings and a cool crown! He didn't want to hold still for the camera.

Now his brothers and sister need to catch up.

Glint my Grizzled mantis molted today! Slowly getting bigger!


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## MantisGirl13 (Apr 18, 2020)

Congrats on the molts! Your mantids are beautiful. 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mystymantis (Apr 19, 2020)

MantisGirl13 said:


> Congrats on the molts! Your mantids are beautiful.
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Thanks!


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## Mystymantis (Apr 24, 2020)

Update!!! April 24, 2020!

My first Chinese Mantis egg case for this year hatched today! I was not expecting it to hatch quite yet but it did! Now I have a bunch of little Chinese mantises again!

I have only one adult Chinese mantis left from last year, Aster, and she is still happy and healthy.  I am so excited she is still alive when the next generation has hatched! Though she did not lay the egg case that hatched.


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## Mantis Lady (Apr 25, 2020)

Gratz on the hatch. Cool that your chinese mantis lives and doing fine. hope she can stil live a bit longer.


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## Mystymantis (Jul 9, 2020)

First Grizzled mantis made it to adulthood yesterday!

Yay Glint, she is so cute!


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## Mystymantis (Oct 9, 2020)

Update time!

Glint laid her first Ootheca a little while ago. Now waiting for it to hatch. Yum, yum roaches are good says Glint eating her dinner.

I am super excited, Venus, my female ghost mantis is a beautiful green color! I really hope she stays green! Though the green is slightly fading to a lighter green.


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## Mystymantis (Nov 13, 2020)

Glint's (my female Grizzled mantis) egg case hatched today! She now has lots of happy little mantis children! I saw nothing all morning, been keeping a close eye on the egg case, but then walked into my room and saw baby Grizzles crawling all over the inside of the cup! Pics to come later.


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## Mystymantis (Nov 16, 2020)

A picture of the little ones on hatching day! About 25 or so hatched out!


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## MrGhostMantis (Nov 16, 2020)

Please tell me you are selling some


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## mantisfan101 (Nov 16, 2020)

Awesome, glad to see the hatch! Are you planning on getting rid of any?


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## The Mantis Menagerie (Nov 16, 2020)

Mystymantis said:


> A picture of the little ones on hatching day! About 25 or so hatched out!
> 
> View attachment 13818
> 
> ...


Congratulations! I second (or rather third) @mantisfan101's and @MrGhostMantis's question. Planning to get rid of any? If so, I would like to be on the waitlist if you would be open to a trade.


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## Mystymantis (Nov 18, 2020)

Thanks so much! Now is the really hard part of keeping the little ones alive.  They are quite fragile at this stage...

Unfortunately due to the mail being slower then normal and Covid and all I will not be selling or trading any at this point. Not to mention it is getting quite cold outside and not the best time to ship little nymphs. Thanks for the interest though! I really appreciate it! Sorry to disappoint you all!


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## Mystymantis (Jan 9, 2021)

My female Ghost mantis Venus molted to an adult! And she kept her green color! I'm so excited! She is green with tan color.


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## Mantis Lady (Jan 18, 2021)

Venus is beautiful, still want a green ghost


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## happy1892 (Feb 25, 2021)

Mystymantis said:


> Update time!
> 
> Glint laid her first Ootheca a little while ago. Now waiting for it to hatch. Yum, yum roaches are good says Glint eating her dinner.
> 
> ...


Great pictures Mystymantis!  I am curious.  Did you mate Glint with one of her two siblings?  

-Nathaniel Long


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## Mystymantis (Feb 27, 2021)

happy1892 said:


> Great pictures Mystymantis!  I am curious.  Did you mate Glint with one of her two siblings?
> 
> -Nathaniel Long


Yes I did mate her with her siblings. Why do you ask? I know repeated mating with the same stock is not the best for genetics and such.  Don't many mantis breeders just breed with their own stock or do they bring in new ones for better genes?


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## The Mantis Menagerie (Feb 27, 2021)

Mystymantis said:


> Yes I did mate her with her siblings. Why do you ask? I know repeated mating with the same stock is not the best for genetics and such.  Don't many mantis breeders just breed with their own stock or do they bring in new ones for better genes?


It depends on the species. From what I understand, there are some species that are extremely sensitive to inbreeding (I think _Stenophylla sp._?). I do think most try to bring in other bloodlines when possible. I only work with native species (pesky USDA), but I try to cross different lines when possible. I do have a lubber grasshopper colony that is currently all from the breeding of a group of siblings in the prior, F1 generation. I am planning to cross them with wild individuals this summer, and I would do the same with mantids in this situation.


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## happy1892 (Mar 1, 2021)

Hello, Mystymantis.  I was asking because I didn't know whether mantises could be inbred without problems.  I am happy to find out that mantises can at least inbreed a certain amount.  It might be that insects do better than mammals do when inbred.  Thank you for the information Mystymantis and The Mantis Menagerie!

Sincerely, Nathaniel Long


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## Mystymantis (Aug 25, 2021)

Update time! Been a while!

My next generation of Grizzled mantises has made it to adulthood! My little ninja mantises!

And Venus my green Ghost mantis has had a ton of babies!

Here is Venus doing happy and healthy she is over 14 months old! And has blessed me with way too many babies haha!




And here is my Grizzled female mantis that just molted to adulthood.




Here are Venus's babies. A cool variety of colors on the females, I have several green ones, dark brown ones and yellowish ones. The different colors are so cool!







L1 Ghost mantis nymphs.







L3 Ghost mantis nymphs.




L5 Ghost mantis female.


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## Mystymantis (Sep 17, 2021)

The first Ghost nymphs have reached adulthood! Callalily is a pretty pale green color with tan/gold wings. And Marigold is aptly named because she is practically golden. She molted to L7 the other day.  Marigold was not thrilled I was disturbing her to get pictures.

And far too many more Ghost nymphs still to care for!  I have so many ghosts thanks to Venus its not even funny! At least though she is gone, sadness, she left a big legacy! She had 15 egg cases and two are yet to hatch!


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## MrGhostMantis (Sep 17, 2021)

Mystymantis said:


> The first Ghost nymphs have reached adulthood! Callalily is a pretty pale green color with tan/gold wings. And Marigold is aptly named because she is practically golden. She molted to L7 the other day.  Marigold was not thrilled I was disturbing her to get pictures.
> 
> And far too many more Ghost nymphs still to care for!  I have so many ghosts thanks to Venus its not even funny! At least though she is gone, sadness, she left a big legacy! She had 15 egg cases and two are yet to hatch!
> 
> ...


You’re females are growing way faster than mine!! My males are popping to L7 and I still have an L4 female.


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## Mystymantis (Sep 20, 2021)

MrGhostMantis said:


> You’re females are growing way faster than mine!! My males are popping to L7 and I still have an L4 female.


When did your mantises hatch? This particular batch hatched on April 30. I still have egg cases that are yet to hatch...


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## MrGhostMantis (Sep 20, 2021)

Mystymantis said:


> When did your mantises hatch? This particular batch hatched on April 30. I still have egg cases that are yet to hatch...


They hatched the same day as yours!


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## Mystymantis (Sep 21, 2021)

MrGhostMantis said:


> They hatched the same day as yours!


Oh wow that's crazy they hatched on the same day! What a coincidence! Maybe my two females are just over achievers haha!


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## MrGhostMantis (Sep 21, 2021)

Mystymantis said:


> Oh wow that's crazy they hatched on the same day! What a coincidence! Maybe my two females are just over achievers haha!


Or they actually eat!


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## Mystymantis (Sep 21, 2021)

MrGhostMantis said:


> Or they actually eat!


Oh yes my ghosts eat! I feed them roaches and bottle flies and they love them.


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## MrGhostMantis (Sep 22, 2021)

Mystymantis said:


> Oh yes my ghosts eat! I feed them roaches and bottle flies and they love them.


If only mine did that


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## Mystymantis (Dec 13, 2021)

Next generation of Grizzled mantises is here!  This is Asoka and her offspring! Man baby Grizzled mantises are so hard to get pictures of!

And some nice macros of one of my Adult female Ghost mantis named Pixi.


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## The Wolven (Dec 13, 2021)

So pretttttty. Can't wait to get a grizzled mantis eventually.


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## Mystymantis (Feb 13, 2022)

And the next generation of Ghost mantises is here! This is Rose's babies. So many ghosts!


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## KatieQuake111 (Feb 13, 2022)

So cute!!


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## The Wolven (Feb 13, 2022)

AhhHHHh ghostieeees


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## Mystymantis (Apr 12, 2022)

Alas sadness. Asoka my Adult female Grizzled mantis has passed onto the big mantis heaven. Rip Asoka, you will be missed! My little ninja mantis 

She lived for a year and 4 months.

On a happier note, my Chinese mantises have started hatching!


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## The Wolven (Apr 12, 2022)

I'm sorry about Asoka. I hope she gave you lots of ooths! Congrats on the Chinese mantises though.


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## Mantis Lady (Apr 18, 2022)

A year and 4 months? That is really old


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## Mystymantis (Oct 31, 2022)

Mantis update!

Here is the mantis family!

Chinese mantis Chase thinking that tweezers taste good! She did not want to let go!
Then Carolina mantis Mistshadow my only green Carolina this year. She is so pretty!

And Misfit the happy Male Grizzled mantis! Avosa my Grizzled girl this year that just finally laid her first ooth!

And Then there is Gemlight my female Ghost mantis that is so bright green! And Hail the male Ghost mantis that thought the camera was very interesting and would not sit still for photos!


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