# Carolina connection



## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

This couple didn't take any time to get the job done! This is my first opportunity to actually mate a pair! Bob (the male) did great. He flew right over to her and connected within 2 minutes of being properly mounted. So, there are some close ups I took of the connection, but they're at the bottom so if you don't wanna see them stay toward the top! Enjoy!

The lock on to her and beginning of the approach







The mount and connection






The spiky bear hug






Gotta get every angle!











And now the connection!!!!!!











There appears to be tiny hairs on her rear. Can't see that with the naked eye!


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## myzticalboi (Oct 2, 2010)

wooooooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Thats all i say when mines mate and connect.


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## Seattle79 (Oct 2, 2010)

Nice close-up pics LG. Great camera work B) 

-Kevin


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## hibiscusmile (Oct 2, 2010)

wow, never seen it like that :blink:


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## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> wow, never seen it like that :blink:


Gives you a new perspective huh? :lol: 



Seattle79 said:


> Nice close-up pics LG. Great camera work  B)
> 
> -Kevin


Thanks! I LOVE taking pictures of these guys!


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## Jesskb (Oct 2, 2010)

Congrats!! nice pics!


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## Rick (Oct 2, 2010)

Good pics. How did you move them? That part must be done carefully or he may disengage.


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## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

Rick said:


> Good pics. How did you move them? That part must be done carefully or he may disengage.


I didn't force them to move, but the female started wandering after about 2 1/2 hours so I led her to my hand and into a butterfly netting enclosure. It was pretty careful and 99% her idea


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## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

Got this too, but just remembered and uploaded it. Sorry for my stupid narration, but I was a little excited about them mating. :lol:


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## davestreasurechest (Oct 2, 2010)

makin sweet bug love lol! congrats


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## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

UPDATE:: They are separated and both just fine! I'm pretty sure I caught them right after separation because he was still very close, but was happy to see an out when I lifted open the top!


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## PhilinYuma (Oct 2, 2010)

No no, Laura G. These aren't just "nice pix", they're the best ones of mantids mating since the late great kamakiri posted his, and he was a semi professional with some very sophisticated equipment, so a Jolly Well Done to you!  

What do you think, Tanner?


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## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> No no, Laura G. These aren't just "nice pix", they're the best ones of mantids mating since the late great kamakiri posted his, and he was a semi professional with some very sophisticated equipment, so a Jolly Well Done to you!
> 
> What do you think, Tanner?


Awe, shucks.....


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## more_rayne (Oct 2, 2010)

Wow, he really uh, put it in her :blink:


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## Ghozt (Oct 26, 2010)

gross


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## pseudocreobotra (Oct 28, 2010)

Laura G said:


> Got this too, but just remembered and uploaded it. Sorry for my stupid narration, but I was a little excited about them mating. :lol:


haha!

he didnt knew what to do with the roach!

whose the little voice??


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## LauraMG (Oct 28, 2010)

carlos agraz said:


> haha!
> 
> he didnt knew what to do with the roach!
> 
> whose the little voice??


My 4 year old son is who I believe is on there. The chick is my voice, the one making stupid comments :lol:


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## GreenOasis (Oct 28, 2010)

Laura G said:


> There appears to be tiny hairs on her rear. Can't see that with the naked eye!


It's informally called a "bush"...  

Mantis porn...I love it! I had a pair connecting last weekend &amp; thought about taking pics to share, but Hubby thought that was a bit TOO creepy. &lt;_&lt; 

(He just doesn't understand the "bug love", I guess!) :tt2: 

-Carey Kurtz-


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## sporeworld (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow - great pics!

Anyone know what the visual differences are between the male Carolinas and the male Chinese...? I have trouble telling them apart...


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## LauraMG (Oct 29, 2010)

Sporeworld said:


> Anyone know what the visual differences are between the male Carolinas and the male Chinese...? I have trouble telling them apart...


Do you have pictures of each? I bet it would be pretty easy to tell them apart side by side. My other Carolina male isn't even green, he's a dark purpley-brownish color with some bright green stripes on his legs.


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## sporeworld (Oct 29, 2010)

I don't KNOW if I have one of each - I asked them for ID, but they refused (smiles).

With the brown ones, it's easy to see that green ridge along the wings, but with the green ones, I'm having trouble. I'm sure once I kow what to look for, I'll have it locked down...


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## LauraMG (Oct 29, 2010)

Wanna post pics of the ones in question? The Chinese is probably going to be bigger than the Carolina


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## LauraMG (Oct 31, 2010)

Pairing number 2 for this female, and number 1 for this male. He was noticeably less experienced than Bob (the green male) but he figured it out after I poked at him a little. He kept trying to rest and would stop trying to connect, so I'd create a slight breeze or poke him with the feeder tongs a little. He almost got himself eaten before they even got started because he tried to eat the roach she was grubbing on! She comped at his claw a couple of times and he bit her thorax a couple of times, but they worked out their differences quickly! :lol: Enjoy!

This was the view before he made the connection












Getting there!






And he made it!


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## ismart (Oct 31, 2010)

Great pics!


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## Ricardo (Nov 1, 2010)

that male sure gets the job done. lol :lol:


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