# 5" Wild Praying Mantis in Michigan - Part 2 (4.5")



## asylum23 (Sep 25, 2009)

Hello, I posted the 5" Wild Praying Mantis in Michigan topic. Well I found this guy tonight, I do not think he is the same mantis, he seems younger, the eyes are different and the colors are different, plus he was a lot friendlier.

I really tried to get some pics w/ the ruler. This one was btwn 4.25" and 4.5". What size are they normally in say Michigan? Anyway, please enjoy and tell me what you think!


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## Ntsees (Sep 25, 2009)

Did you know that at night, the eyes of mantids turn dark as shown in the picture? Anyways, mantid sizes vary all over the place (even within an area) because of individual variation. Because of that, I don't know what the average size of a Chinese mantid is (also because I don't have much experience with the Chinese mantid).

You should keep that mantid if you're interested and try to find a female within the area. Chances are, the female may be just as large as that male, if not larger.


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## asylum23 (Sep 25, 2009)

Ntsees said:


> Did you know that at night, the eyes of mantids turn dark as shown in the picture? Anyways, mantid sizes vary all over the place (even within an area) because of individual variation. Because of that, I don't know what the average size of a Chinese mantid is (also because I don't have much experience with the Chinese mantid).You should keep that mantid if you're interested and try to find a female within the area. Chances are, the female may be just as large as that male, if not larger.


Thanks! I have seen this one and the post on the 5" guy, I have not yet seen a female of this very large size. But I hear that in winter they will die? If so, it is getting colder out here. I would hate to have a mantis this large pass away on me. They are coming from my 70+ acres of woods next to my house, which is good and bad, I also get huge spiders which I am no fan of.


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## PhilinYuma (Sep 25, 2009)

asylum23 said:


> Thanks! I have seen this one and the post on the 5" guy, I have not yet seen a female of this very large size. But I hear that in winter they will die? If so, it is getting colder out here. I would hate to have a mantis this large pass away on me. They are coming from my 70+ acres of woods next to my house, which is good and bad, I also get huge spiders which I am no fan of.


The first frost will kill them outside, but if you bring them in, they should live a few more months (that's a wild guess, but they will definitely live longer than they would outside). These are a bit too large for the 32 oz deli pots that we use so much, but you might want to check out the site of a mantis supplies dealer, like Mantis Place, where you'll find some larger enclosures. Good luck, and let us know what you decide.


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## asylum23 (Sep 25, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> The first frost will kill them outside, but if you bring them in, they should live a few more months (that's a wild guess, but they will definitely live longer than they would outside). These are a bit too large for the 32 oz deli pots that we use so much, but you might want to check out the site of a mantis supplies dealer, like Mantis Place, where you'll find some larger enclosures. Good luck, and let us know what you decide.


Thanks! Maybe in October when it really starts to get cold, I'll bring some in. It depends on how much extra money I have, I know from raising them how expensive it can get! But I will consider it, I have some tanks to put them in.


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## Matticus (Sep 25, 2009)

The females (while better camouflaged in my experience) are usually much bigger than the males. The male I've raised from L4 is 4.25" and the WC female I found last week is ~5.4", and perpetually active. As I type I'm watching her down a 4" katydid and try to escape from her cage at the same time.


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## Rick (Sep 25, 2009)

The reason you're seeing mostly males is because males fly. Females would have to crawl. It could be the same one. The eyes get dark colored when he is in the dark. He is a typical chinese mantis in all ways. Most likely he is coming from a weedy area like the edge of a field or a meadow.


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## asylum23 (Sep 25, 2009)

Rick said:


> The reason you're seeing mostly males is because males fly. Females would have to crawl. It could be the same one. The eyes get dark colored when he is in the dark. He is a typical chinese mantis in all ways. Most likely he is coming from a weedy area like the edge of a field or a meadow.


Yes, he flew right back thru my yard into the woods when he'd had enough of me taking his pics. He was actually behind the bug zapper, but I go out all thru the night, see what is out there.


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## Ntsees (Sep 25, 2009)

Matticus said:


> The females (while better camouflaged in my experience) are usually much bigger than the males. The male I've raised from L4 is 4.25" and the WC female I found last week is ~5.4", and perpetually active. As I type I'm watching her down a 4" katydid and try to escape from her cage at the same time.


What's "WC"? Anyways, are you able to take a picture of it with a ruler. I'd like to see it because I've never seen a mantid that large. The largest mantid I've seen with a ruler was 4''.


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## hibiscusmile (Sep 25, 2009)

W C IS WILD CAUGHT, AND C B IS CAPTIVE BRED!


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## Ntsees (Sep 25, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> W C IS WILD CAUGHT, AND C B IS CAPTIVE BRED!


Thanks.


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## hibiscusmile (Sep 25, 2009)

I took pics of mine today, but stupid floppy wont work so have to charge camera and try again tomorrow.


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## Ntsees (Sep 25, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> I took pics of mine today, but stupid floppy wont work so have to charge camera and try again tomorrow.


Nice, can't wait to see them.


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## Orin (Sep 30, 2009)

asylum23 said:


> I really tried to get some pics w/ the ruler. This one was btwn 4.25" and 4.5". What size are they normally in say Michigan?


 It's NOT difficult at all, you hold it against the ruler with one hand and take a picture. Your mantids are likely not much over 4" unless you're including the back legs, antennae or rounding up.


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