# Giant Devil's Flower Mantis, IDOLOMANTIS DIABOLICA



## Darkrai283 (Sep 27, 2014)

*[23.09.14]*

Finally... I finally managed to add this amazing species to my list. LOL :lol: 

Agreed to a trade with my pre-subadult pair of Phyllocrania paradoxa (Ghost mantis) for 3, 2nd instar nymphs of Idolomantis diabolica a month ago and I finally received them today. I'll be extremely happy with myself even if I only manage to get one close to adult.

BTW, the media in the first pic looks very wet because I sprayed a lot of water to get the level even. I drained it out afterwards.

Anyway, pics:



IMG_0167 by darkrai283, on Flickr



IMG_0172 by darkrai283, on Flickr



IMG_0177 by darkrai283, on Flickr



IMG_0169 by darkrai283, on Flickr



IMG_0178 by darkrai283, on Flickr


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## dmina (Sep 27, 2014)

Lots of luck to you.. with those..

I will have some one day... LOL


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

_*[02.10.14]*_

One of the females has stopped eating and her abdomen is very fat.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh4TpjvlotA


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

*[03.10.14]*

The one in the video moulted to 3rd instar.

Female moulted to 3th instar
Moulting interval: ??? days (first time she moulted since I got her)

Current stages of the three nymphs:
Female no.1: 3rd instar
Female no.2: 2nd instar
Male: 2nd instar

2nd instar nymph:


IMG_0426 by darkrai283, on Flickr

Pics of the 3rd instar:


IMG_0436 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0437 by darkrai283, on Flickr

Size difference between 2nd and 3rd:


IMG_0462 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0458 by darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

*[04.10.14]*

The male moulted to 3rd instar.

Male moulted to 3th instar
Moulting interval: ??? days (first time she moulted since I got her)

Current stages of the three nymphs:
Female no.1: 3rd instar
Female no.2: 2nd instar
Male: 3rd instar

*[05.10.14]*

Female no.2 moulted to 3rd instar.

Female no. 2 moulted to 3th instar
Moulting interval: ??? days (first time she moulted since I got her)

Current stages of the three nymphs:
Female no.1: 3rd instar
Female no.2: 3rd instar
Male: 3rd instar


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

_*16.10.14*_

Female no.1 is in the pre-moult postition.  

Pics:


IMG_0783 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0791 by darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

_*[17.10.14]*_

Female no.1 in the last reply moulted to 4th instar.

Female moulted to 4th instar
Moulting interval: 14 days

Current stages of the three nymphs:
Female no.1: 4th instar
Female no.2: 3rd instar
Male: 3rd instar

Pics of the 4th instar:


IMG_0838 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0833 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0814 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0805 by darkrai283, on Flickr

Size difference between 4th and 3rd instar nymphs:


IMG_0809 by darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

_*[19.10.14]*_

Both Female no.2 and the male nymph moulted to 4th instar in the space of an hour.

Female no. 2 moulted to 4th instar
Moulting interval: 14 days

Male moulted to 4th instar
Moulting interval: 15 days

Current stadium of the three nymphs:
Female no.1: 4th instar
Female no.2: 4th instar
Male: 4th instar

Video of Female no.2 moulting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnnlU1aSMSg

Moulting pics of the male:


IMG_0891 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0897 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0903 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0907 by darkrai283, on Flickr

Moulting pics of the female:


IMG_0914 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0925 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0927 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0931 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_0934 by darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Dec 7, 2014)

_*[26.10.14]*_

Female no. 2 became a minty-white colour. :wub: 

Pics:


IMG_1033 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_1024 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_1029 by darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_1027 by darkrai283, on Flickr


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## dmina (Dec 7, 2014)

Cool video.. awesome pics... Thanks for sharing.. Keep us updated...


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## Bloodtkr (Dec 7, 2014)

Great video. I have one hanging now. I hope that's what its doing its been a little more than a month since its last molt. Unless I missed it the color kinda matches the sphagnum


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## CosbyArt (Dec 7, 2014)

Awesome photos, you can tell instantly you have a DSLR and some good glass as the detail is stunning.  Congrats on your new pets, and marking off another species from your want list.


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## Darkrai283 (Jan 15, 2015)

*[06.11.14]*

All three moulted to 5th instar in the last 3 days.

Female no. 1 moulted to 5th instar
Moulting interval: 20 days
Female no. 2 moulted to 5th instar
Moulting interval: 15 days
Male moulted to 5th instar
Moulting interval: 17 days

Current stadium of the three nymphs:
Female no.1: 5th instar
Female no.2: 5th instar
Male: 5th instar


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## Darkrai283 (Jan 15, 2015)

*[20.12.14]*

Deimatic display! (It was shot through dirty glass so it isn't that great)



IMG_1653 by Darkrai283, on Flickr

_*[25.12.14]*_

Just chillin' on Christmas day...



IMG_1678 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Jan 15, 2015)

_*[12.01.15]*_

Sooo... it's been 70 days since they last moulted, and my attempt at trying to raise this species to adulthood has been a failure. I had to put down the last male in the freezer today.

They just refused to moult for some reason, then got weaker and weaker and just died. I've heard from few people that they've had this happen to the stock I had too so it might just not be my conditions. :/

The first female to pass away just got weaker and weaker and just went limp.

The other female was doing really well but ate too much and ruptured her side when she fell, about 3 weeks ago.

After that, because I only had my male left who was healthy at the time, I ordered a pre-sub female from a European breeder which was sent last Monday.

This morning, the male was just very weak and limp like the 1st female that passed away so I put him down in the freezer. :'(


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## Darkrai283 (Jan 15, 2015)

_*[13.01.15]*_

The pre-subadult female came today and despite the 8 day delivery in the not-so-warm European weather, she is great and full of energy.  I hope to at least raise this one to adulthood.



IMG_2246 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2240 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2235 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2239 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2247 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Jan 15, 2015)

*[14.01.14]*

First night in my possession and she treated me with a threat pose when I tried to move her into a larger container. I rushed taking the pics though so I couldn't get as close a shot as I wanted to... nor are they sharp. :/



IMG_2254 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2253 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## dmina (Jan 16, 2015)

Sorry for the hard times you are having with this species... Hopefully this new one will make it to adulthood for you... Awesome pics and video... Thanks for sharing!


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## idologrl (Jan 16, 2015)

Good luck with her!! Shes beautiful!! I have 7 of them. My sub adult female seems like she's ready to molt..These guys are so amazing!!!


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## Darkrai283 (Feb 1, 2015)

*[30.01.15]*


The pre-sub female moulted to subadult. 







Moulting video:







IMG_2418 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2420 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2421 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2437 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2454 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2453 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2435 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## dmina (Feb 1, 2015)

She is pretty...Looks very healthy...fingers crossed for the next molt... Thanks for sharing... and keep us updated...


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## Darkrai283 (Feb 14, 2015)

_*[13.02.15]*_

Some pics of the subadult female.



IMG_2652 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2643 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_2654 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## macromatt (Feb 14, 2015)

Really interesting thread! Love the timelapse!


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## dmina (Feb 18, 2015)

She sure is pretty.. fingers crossed for the next molt! keep us updated...


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## Darkrai283 (Apr 7, 2015)

_*[04.02.15]*_

Looking gorgeous.  



IMG_0863 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Apr 7, 2015)

*[14.03.15]*


The wingbuds are finally starting to lift off the body.  



IMG_1696 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_1720 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Apr 7, 2015)

_*[16.03.15]*_

... and now they're starting to puff up.



IMG_1766 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_1764 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


IMG_1770 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Apr 7, 2015)

_*[27.03.15]*_

Well, bad news. She moulted to adult on Monday (23rd) but it was a mismoult. It was as if her old skin on the pronotum didn't come off the new body underneath at all. The infamous 'S' mismoult.  

I hope to be having a go at this species again sometime soon though with a larger number of specimens.

Here's a pic of her after 4 days in the freezer.



IMG_3238 by Darkrai283, on Flickr


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## Darkrai283 (Apr 7, 2015)

macromatt said:


> Really interesting thread! Love the timelapse!





dmina said:


> She sure is pretty.. fingers crossed for the next molt! keep us updated...


Thanks. I hope to not mess anything up the next time I have a go with these guys.


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