# Yet more I diabolica photos



## Birdfly (May 11, 2008)

A scene from my greenhouse were by a 4th instar _I diabolica_ nymph catches a bluebottle which takes it of its feet at first.


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## Birdfly (May 11, 2008)

A 4th instar catching a cockroach. Forgot to put my lens cap on and Consequently a bit dusty :blink:


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## Birdfly (May 11, 2008)

Some random photos from this and last year.






Two first instar nymphs, a size comparison (dont worry no blood was spilt)


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## Malnra (May 11, 2008)

thanks for the photos


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## pedro92 (May 11, 2008)

Those are some great photos.


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## Birdfly (May 11, 2008)

:lol: cheers


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## joossa (May 12, 2008)

Very nice! Keep 'em coming.


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## Birdfly (Jul 8, 2008)

Well its been a while and being spurred on by a few other posts i thought i'd bring it up todate, as they are now:

Cannablism:






sexing:





















Lobster lunch:


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## Birdfly (Jul 8, 2008)

Scary few moments into her 8th stadium:






Closer inspection:


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## Pelle (Jul 8, 2008)

Beautiful photo's!


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## Birdfly (Jul 8, 2008)

:lol: Thanks, i'm getting better :lol:


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## The_Asa (Jul 8, 2008)

Your pictures have improved tremendously.


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## ABbuggin (Jul 8, 2008)

Birdfly said:


> Scary few moments into her 8th stadium:


I would be a nervous wreck if I had to go through watching that!


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 10, 2008)

I thought idolomantis only ate flying insects? :huh: :huh:


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## Birdfly (Jul 10, 2008)

No not nessasarily, as 1st through to about 5th instar they will happily feed on crawling insects like any other species of mantid, not sure exactly why this is, maybe because they are lower down in the vegatation where there are less flying quarry, hatch at a time/season where there are less flying insects or because of there smaller size, i dont know. As they get larger/older they prefer to take more and more flying insects as their special adaption suits but they are still not adversed to taking the odd crawler, especially if they are hungry


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## Birdfly (Jul 10, 2008)

Sorry, cant help myself! I bought a rocket blower to help solve my sensor dust problem and had to try it out?


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## idolomantis (Jul 10, 2008)

man.... those are so awesome i first gonna experience myself on flower and cryptyc mantids( pseudocreobotra, gongylus gongylodes) and than getting those... could you post a pic of the enclosure you keeping them?


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## Birdfly (Jul 11, 2008)

Ive since changed the screen netting on the front from this fruit fly proof netting to a coarser grade 2-3mm black net curtain material, _idolomantis_ can get a better grip on it with out breaking their tarsal claws and therefore not slipping at the next molt. I've not lost one to a slip, although from one pic above you can see i came close, but not for that reason


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## Birdfly (Jul 25, 2008)

I have my first adult, a female:


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 25, 2008)

Its realy funny how some of them have all the colors of the american flag on them, lol.


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 25, 2008)

Did you breed all of those yourself?


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## Borya (Jul 25, 2008)

Thank you!


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## Birdfly (Jul 25, 2008)

No, not bred them yet, hopefully this time, came close last year but no cigar


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## Birdfly (Jul 27, 2008)

Couldnt resist :lol: lots of hissing but no clicks.


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## pedro92 (Jul 27, 2008)

You definately need to be breeding those. I call dibs lol jk jk. Let me know if you get some available even ooths


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## Birdfly (Aug 1, 2008)

My two adult females






close up in water colour






Stalking, capturing and feeding on a crawling insect


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## TylerFerretLord (Aug 3, 2008)

Wow!

Did she reach for it slowly or did you manage to catch the shot right at the moment she grabbed it?


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## mrblue (Aug 3, 2008)

TylerFerretLord said:


> Wow!Did she reach for it slowly or did you manage to catch the shot right at the moment she grabbed it?


sometimes mantids catch in one smooth motion, but sometimes they pause in the middle (as the prey is pinned to the ground, before hoisting it up into the air), which allows you to get a photo like that.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 4, 2008)

Really beautiful photos!


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## Birdfly (Aug 4, 2008)

Dead on Mrblue,

I had my first male molt up to adult this morning, so i have both sexes now


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## The_Asa (Aug 4, 2008)

The green coloration is awesome!


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## Birdfly (Aug 4, 2008)

Yeah, pity mine are a bit washed out!! the females any way, hopeing the males (due to different containers/heating methods) will be a bit greener


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## Birdfly (Aug 27, 2008)

Happy happy happy :lol: 





















Edit: They were mating at 7 this morning but they had seperated by the time i got home from work at about 11 this morning but they have since joined again :? dunno quite what that means?


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## Birdfly (Aug 27, 2008)

This is the second joining this morning.

You might be able to make out another pair in the background, the male is creeping up on the female much like this pair were doing last night:


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## Pelle (Aug 27, 2008)

Congratulations!


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## Birdfly (Aug 27, 2008)

Thank you much


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## collinchang635 (Aug 29, 2008)

How you get lots of babies!


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## Birdfly (Sep 5, 2008)

And my favourite bit:











Hope its alright


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## Pelle (Sep 5, 2008)

Congrats again, now just one more time  

Nice pics btw


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## mantidsandgeckos (Sep 5, 2008)

Congrats, thx for all the good pics


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## idolomantis (Sep 5, 2008)

congratz, hope we europeans manage to culturize them.


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## Birdfly (Sep 7, 2008)

Cheers guys, i'm not certain about the ooth, it seems to be a bit miss shapen to me (in my experience this has lead to duds) and there is an egg protruding through the wall ?? only time will tell i supose, this is her first ooth


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