# The Mantis Team



## Mantis Lady

Today my new addtions to my mantis family arrived healthy: 2 unsexed ghosts and hierodula membranacea female.

I have made their homes ready and fed the new guys. The ghosts grabbed their fruitfies fast and for the hierodula  was only 1 fly ready to be eaten, so i fed her grasshopper abdomen. It was still too big to grab it herself. Handfeeding her was easy,  she grabbed out of my tweezers fast when she tasted it  all bellies are full.







I like the stripes on her legs. I hope she will keep those. I need to think about a good name for her.






I tried to take a picture of 1 of the ghosts. this blurry thing shows one of them:


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## Graceface

Cute! ?  Congrats on the new additions!


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## Mantis Lady

Thanks  I am happy to see my mantis family growing again.


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## MantisGirl13

Fun! Congratulations on your new 'family'

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I have 7 again, that is good. my desk is invaded by mantids again.


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## Mantis Lady

I think I  am going to take a picture of one of my new ghosts. It was surprising me it wasn't that bad at all for a small creature like a L2 ghost.






And its antennea are moving really fast it ended in a blur  






Think I am going to call it spooky. That name fits a male or female. It is cute


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## MantisGirl13

Aww! Soo cute! Spooky is a great name!

- MantisGirl13


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## Graceface

What a cutie! Spooky is a good name ?


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## Mantis Lady

ok, Spooky it will be  now the other ghost is still nameless.


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## MantisGirl13

Hmm, what can you name the other one? I am sure you will think of a great name!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Maybe a ghosty name or just "Ghosty" doesn't not show what gender they are, you can help me to show their genders when they are l4


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## MantisGirl13

Yeah, I can help you! Ghostie sounds like a great name!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I think I will call the H. menbranacea  "Aurene" . The 2 ghosts are called "Spooky" and "Ghosty" And 2 names to think off to go


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## MantisGirl13

Aurene is a pretty name.

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis

Beautiful!  I am *fascinated* by this.


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## Graceface

'Boo' is a cute ghost name, like Boo Radley from 'To kill a mockingbird.'


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## Mantis Lady

Hehe. I have only 2 ghosts, someone else can use "Boo"  



hysteresis said:


> Beautiful!  I am *fascinated* by this.  ﻿


You can start a collection too. You start with 1 and end up with a lot


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## Mantis Lady

Spooky molted last night. It is a lot bigger than Ghosty. I think he will be having a big appetite tomorrow because his abdomen is flat.


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## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt! I had a ghost ooth hatch this morning and I got to watch!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Oh, that is cool to see a hatching real live?


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## MantisGirl13

Yeah, it was amazing!

- MantisGirl13


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## Prayingmantisqueen

MantisGirl13 said:


> Congrats on the molt! I had a ghost ooth hatch this morning and I got to watch!
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Neato!


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## MantisGirl13

It was really neat!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Ghosty molted last night  they are both L3 now.


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## MantisGirl13

Yay! Congratz on the molt! Next molt you will see some of their coloring appear.

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Cool they are now still brown/blackish. They are the same size again. Hopefully we can after their next molt see what gender they are too. I still hope that I will get an green and a brown one.

They look the same. I have put stickers on their homes to see who is who?


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## MantisGirl13

If they are L3 you can tell the gender. Can I see some pics of them? I can sex them for you. I just need pictures of their faces.

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I will try to get clear pics of their faces tonight  

(at this moment Aurene is molting)


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## Mantis Lady

This is happening now. Aurene is drying up


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## MantisGirl13

Ooh, pretty! What Instar is she now? 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

7, if i am right...?


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## MantisGirl13

? cool! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

It is hard to take a pic of ghosts or they are camera shy.  Here are 2 pics of Ghosty. I hope the pics are good enough to give it a gender.


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## Prayingmantisqueen

Aurene is very pretty. ?


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## MantisGirl13

I need more of a full on pic, but I am leaning towards male.

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

It was hard to put him with full face on the pic, somehow they like to look everywhere instead of camera. maybe i should wait till next molt


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## MantisGirl13

Lol   Yeah, they never look where you want them to! You can wait to next molt, maybe it will be easier.

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

My newest addition: curious Cleopatra: L5 budwing.


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## Prayingmantisqueen

A new Cleopatra? Beautiful!



Little Mantis said:


> My newest addition: curious Cleopatra: L5 budwing.


But probably still not as pretty as Cleopatra the First! My bugwing is still L4.


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## Mantis Lady

The name was too shortly used so this girl may carry the name in Cleo the first honor  She is not a scardy cat. She attacked and ate a very fat fly this morning.

Last night Soraya molted. She is way bigger than her sister now. She had a good molt, but she has very thin abdomen. I hope she will eat tomorrow, I have a few flies I need to get rid of.


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## MantisGirl13

Congratulations on the new addition! 

Can we see a pic of Soraya now?

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

hehe, i will try to take a pic of Soraya but is a bit blurry. (She was eating her first fat fly. in her cup)didn't want to disturb her breakfast.


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## Prayingmantisqueen

Little Mantis said:


> Today my new addtions to my mantis family arrived healthy: 2 unsexed ghosts and hierodula membranacea female.
> 
> I have made their homes ready and fed the new guys. The ghosts grabbed their fruitfies fast and for the hierodula  was only 1 fly ready to be eaten, so i fed her grasshopper abdomen. It was still too big to grab it herself. Handfeeding her was easy,  she grabbed out of my tweezers fast when she tasted it  all bellies are full.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like﻿ the st﻿ripes on her legs. I hope she will keep those. I need to think about a good name for her.


Mine still have their strips, they are L5 and L6... So she probably will.


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## Mantis Lady

Aurene lost the stripes with her last molt sadly enough.


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## Mantis Lady

Little Cleo likes flies, the bigger the better  







@MantisGirl13A pic of freshly molted Soraya you can find in her topic


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## Graceface

What a beautiful mantis! Cute photo ?


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## MantisGirl13

? Cleo is beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


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## Prayingmantisqueen

Little Mantis said:


> Aurene lost the stripes with her last molt sadly enough.


Aww then mine will too probably..


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## MantisGirl13

Prayingmantisqueen said:


> Aww then mine will too probably..


They still are awesome without the stripes!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

They are, but the stripes made them more special


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## MantisGirl13

Yeah, ok, I guess you are right! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

i was feeding my mantids and gave Soraya her fly and took a picture of her eating:






when I looked at her (?) picture, I saw a segment that shows she is a male and not a female.  I need to think of another name. This name doesn't fit anymore. I will have a look at Ayaweyas butt when she has eaten too. confusing this.


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## MantisGirl13

Strange! I see what you mean and you are right! 'She' is a male!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Maybe I have a couple after all  But Ayaweya still need to eat her fly. I think i can have a good look at her abdomen when it is full. Her abdomen is still flat.  But I still hope she is female.

Maybe I will call  the male Tybalt.


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## Prayingmantisqueen

Little Mantis said:


> Maybe I have a couple after all  But Ayaweya still need to eat her fly. I think i can have a good look at her abdomen when it is full. Her abdomen is still flat.  But I still hope she is female.
> 
> Maybe I will call  the male Tybalt.


I know the struggle! You know how many times I changed my three's names!

Well Tybalt is cute!


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## MantisGirl13

Yeah, that is a cute name! I hope that Ayaweya is a female!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I will feed Ayaweya a second fly and think her abdomen is full enough to have a good look at the segments, but i hope i don't need to change her name  

But Tybalt is a good eater for a male


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## Mantis Lady

Aurene climbing my desk


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## Prayingmantisqueen

Cute


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## MantisGirl13

Great! Is she for sure a female?

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I don't know fore sure (yet)

She still hasn't eaten her fly sadly enough, so I can't have a good look at her abdomen. With a full abdomen you can see the segments  more clearly. what if she is a male too, then i have no female. the breeder where i got them, don't have females anymore.

I think ayaweya is a male too.












These pics i made this morning


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## Mantis Lady

she is eating her fly now, she/he found the courage to grab it?


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## MantisGirl13

No, I am pretty sure she is a female. Look in that last picture. You cannot see the shadow of another segment like you can with all of her other segments.

- MantisGirl13


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## Prayingmantisqueen

She looks female to me too..


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## Graceface

I agree, she looks female ?


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## Mantis Lady

After she ate a fly, her segments are good visible, she is indeed a female, so I have a couple


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## Graceface

Little Mantis said:


> After she ate a fly, her segments are good visible, she is indeed a female, so I have a couple


Yay! You have a pair after all ?


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## Mantis Lady

Yup. I am happy with that.

Here's Ayaweyas abdomen. Its segments are very clear.  The name Soraya i will keep for another mantis.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> After she ate a fly, her segments are good visible, she is indeed a female, so I have a couple


That is awesome! I hope they both make it to adult so you can breed!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

yup,I hope it too  and hoping Tybalt won't loose his head.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> yup,I hope it too  and hoping Tybalt won't loose his head.


Me too!!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Here tybalt. Looking cute with his colored eyes.






and here a pic of freshly molted Ayaweya.


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## MantisGirl13

Beautiful! I love Tybalt's eyes!

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis

Beautiful!


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## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> Beautiful! I love Tybalt's eyes! ﻿


I think,  that is the night color of his eyes. They are normal green now.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> I think it is the night that is the night color of his eyes. They are normal green now.


Ok, well, he is still adorable!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

During feeding time spooky decided to walk a bit. I took some pictures of him but the most of the pics I had to throw away again sadly enough;











They look so cute, even they are small. Can someone see his gender?


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## Graceface

Looks male to me


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## Mantis Lady

Oh, then I hope Ghosty is a female. I have always been lucky with getting couples, so I hope my ghosts are a couple too.

@GracefaceHow do you see it is a male?


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## Graceface

The shape of it's headpiece, or I call it a hat. The males have more crooked, tall, asymmetrical hats. Females have broad, less bent, more symmetrical hats.

Your little one looks more male, in my opinion. His hat seems tall, jagged and bendy  

Looking back, Ghosty looks male, too


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## Mantis Lady

Oh, no female, that is a bummer. The headpiece of Ghosty looks indeed like that of Spooky.. And the breeder where I order my mantids don't have female ghosts in stock. Ghosts are always fast sold.


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## MantisGirl13

Yeah, he is a male! I am sorry that Ghosty looks to be male too!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Too bad no female. but I will still love them. Or I need to go looking for a female by another breeder.


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## MantisGirl13

I hope you can find a female!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I hope it too  

I made yesterday this pic of Aurene.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> I hope it too
> 
> I made yesterday this pic of Aurene.


Aww, so cute! I am getting my first Hierodula membranaceas today!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> Aww, so cute! I am getting my first Hierodula membranaceas today!


Cool, how many? 2? are they sexed?


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Cool, how many? 2? are they sexed?


I ordered 6 L2s. They are not sexed, but because I am getting so many, I am sure to have a pair

- MantisGirl13


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## Graceface

Aurene is beautiful!  and you should definitely get a female ghost for Spooky and Ghost


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## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> I ordered 6 L2s. They are not sexed, but because I am getting so many, I am sure to have a pair
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Maybe you have 3 pairs  i am thinking to get a pair of creo's again, but not sure yet.



Graceface said:


> Aurene is beautiful!  and you should definitely get a female ghost for Spooky and Ghost


 yeah, I want to know how a female ghost looks like in real life.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Maybe you have 3 pairs  i am thinking to get a pair of creo's again, but not sure yet.
> 
> yeah, I want to know how a female ghost looks like in real life.


They came! The breeder messed up my order a bit, and only sent me four instead of six, but we are working on fixing the mistake. They are happy and healthy! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

@MantisGirl13Good luck with the 4 nymphs. Hopefully he can fix the mistake nicely.


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## Mantis Lady

This picture I took of Cleo this afternoon.  I likes this picture because you see Cleo good and background blurry


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## MantisGirl13

She is beautiful! I just love her eyes! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Prayingmantisqueen

So pretty!


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## Mantis Lady

I am getting 2 yellow hierodulas this week both will be L4 so they can eat flies too  but if I knew the fruitfly culture was almost empty, i would have ordered them too, oh well. Then I need to go to the petshop for a  fresh culture. The ghosts are still too small to get bigger food so i need to get fruitflies at pet shop. Wondering how the yellow hierodulas look real life.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> I am getting 2 yellow hierodulas this week both will be L4 so they can eat flies too  but if I knew the fruitfly culture was almost empty, i would have ordered them too, oh well. Then I need to go to the petshop for a  fresh culture. The ghosts are still too small to get bigger food so i need to get fruitflies at pet shop. Wondering how the yellow hierodulas look real life.


Ooh, cool! Can't wait to see pictures! I guess you are getting Hierodula venosa (golden)?

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Yup, they are hierodula golden. I think they will shipped out on Monday and arriving on Wednesday. Thy are unsexed, but I hope that it will be a female and male.

of course i will show pics  Think we can see their genders too since they are L4


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Yup, they are hierodula golden. I think they will shipped out on Monday and arriving on Wednesday. Thy are unsexed, but I hope that it will be a female and male.
> 
> of course i will show pics  Think we can see their genders too since they are L4


I hope you get a pair! Can you request a pair?

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

They are already in shipping. It is a bit too late now.

Tybalt molted this evening and he had a good molt. Pics of freshly molted Tybalt will follow soon. He needs time to harden his skin.


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## MantisGirl13

Ok. I can't wait to see the pics! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

First the pics of freshly molted tybalt to L5  












The red color in his arms are getting visible. That is cool


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## MantisGirl13

Ooh, pretty! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Still waiting for Cleo her molt, but Ghosty molted this morning and I could see him in the drying up fase: He didn't get a Snork.


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## Mantis Lady

My new arrivals are finally home, 2 unsexed hierodula goldens despit being a day longer than expected in transit. Not much yellow to see yet. they are green and small. the ghosts can share their fruitflies with them. I am sure I have 1 male, dat is called "Adam." with the other havent seen  its segments clear yet.  I am letteing them eat in their new homes and will have a look on them later


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## MantisGirl13

Yay! Ghosty is cool! I can't wait to see the new arrivals! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

They both are enjoying their fruitflies    I think it is a male and a female and that is what I wanted.

Spooky molted very secretly: I wanted to feed him and I saw his molt on the botton of his cup. The ghosts are L4 now.


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## Mantis Lady

Still waiting for the molt of Cleo. She hasn't eaten for days now.

...and an hour later  she molted.  She had a good molt


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## Cole 78

Little Mantis said:


> This picture I took of Cleo this afternoon.  I likes this picture because you see Cleo good and background blurry


That "blurry" backround is called bokeh in the photography world. It naturally occurs when  a camera is focusing on one smaller distinct point.


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## Mantis Lady

@Cole 78Ty, i didn't knew that. The pic is made with a phone. but it is hard to get a picture like this. I like this because Cleo is good visible here and not her cup or my desk. I had to delete a lot before I got this one.


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## Graceface

Congrats on all the molts!


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## MantisGirl13

@Cole 78 That is really cool, I never knew that! 

Congrats on Cleo's and Spooky's molts!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Thanks, only Aurene and Ayaweya to go now.  They both refuses to eat now and show threat pose and slap at their food: I don't want to eat.  I am expecting them to molt next week. the 2 H.goldens I dont know yet. maybe they will fit in the molting times of the others. I will see.

But for L4s they are very small. Think I will be waiting with name giving till their next molt., Or I need to buy a better magnifying glass. The one I have now sucks. Somehow their segments aren't clear too see even with full bellies.


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## MantisGirl13

I hope they all molt soon!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> I hope they all molt soon!


Aurene listenend to you and she molted.  She has grown a lot. She is L8 now. Only Aaweya need to do hers.






Here a close up of Spooky.






Here is one of the golden hierodulas, but it is still green. Think its color will be changing into yellow in the upcoming molts.


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## MantisGirl13

Yay! I am glad she molted. Btw, now that I look closely, Spooky is a girl!

I can't wait to see the golden colors on the hierodula!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> Btw, now that I look closely, Spooky is a girl! ﻿


Oh, then I have a couple of ghosts


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## cwebster

Love ghosts. Each one is unique.


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## MantisGirl13

I know, I love them too! They are so cool and they each have their own personality!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Ayaweya molted yesterday evening. Everybody Molted except the new ones.







Here Cleo with her beautiful eyes.






Cleo having dinner.


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## Prayingmantisqueen

They are so pretty! @Little Mantis you changed your profile picture again, is that Cleo? At first I didn't know who had posted because I just saw a new pic but now I know its you.


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## MantisGirl13

Congrats on Ayaweya's molt! 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Prayingmantisqueen said:


> you changed your profile picture again, is that Cleo?


Yup That is Cleo.  I love her eyes.


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## Graceface

Congrats on the molts! Looks like your good luck in getting mating pairs prevailed with the Ghosts!!


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## Mantis Lady

Yup up. I am lucky with getting pairs.About  the hierodula goldens I still can't tell what gender they are. They are still too very small to see their segments clearly.  I hope they will molt soon, they will grow then. Hopefully I can give them a name. Beining nameless is boring.


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## Mantis Lady

Mantis 1 molted yesterday. It is a has grown a bit. I suspect the other to molt soon too.. The yellow color is not showing yet, the little guy is still green. but he had a good molt. I tried to take some pics of ghosty and Spooky.

Ghosty:






Spooky:


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## MantisGirl13

Awesome! They are beautiful and I just love their dark brown colors! You definitely have a pair there!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

I will try to breed them when they are adults and hope no head lost. They are cute


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## Mantis Lady

Goldie 2 molted last night. they are both L5 now. but they are still small it is hard to see the segments, but i think it is female but not sure.

I wanted to name them Adam and Eva when they are a couple.






the last mantis that molted. It has funny anttenna.


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## Mantis Lady

This little goldie in picture above I found dead this afternoon......I think something went wrong during the molt... and somthing in abdomen went  wrong. RIP litle mantis


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## hysteresis

Aww that's awful, @Little Mantis.

Poor little guy, and poor you!


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## Mantis Lady

I had yesterday the feeling something was not right with this little guy. It was moving his abdomen If something was irritating him. I wished he would have grown up and got his wings. But now I won't see it. it is sad. I will add his picture in photo book, so he will not be forgotten.

The other mantis is still doing fine. eating well.


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## MantisGirl13

I am so sorry you lost him!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Yeah, he was just L5


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## Mantis Lady

My new arrivals: a panther mantis L3 and a H.membranacea  male L5 (was surpise mantis) I don't know what gender the little panther is, so is called panther till he/her  gets a real name.











The H.membranacea is brown.. That is nice. I hope I can breed Aurene with him. I call him Tarzan.


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## Synapze

The panther is sooo cute!


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## MantisGirl13

So cute! It is awesome that you got a freebie!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

Today we celebrated my hubbies birthday and I showed my nephew my new mantis collection. He even handled Aurene (she is the biggest of the mantis family, not easy to loose)I like to talk about mantids. Even my mother in law wanted to handle Cleopatra, but Cleo prefferred to stay on my hand lol, I think she didn't recognize my mother in laws hand and preffered to stay with me.

The ghosts I showed in their cups. I was afraid  to loose them because we have a lot of brown furniture at home.


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## Jessie

Little Mantis said:


> Today we celebrated my hubbies birthday and I showed my nephew my new mantis collection. He even handled Aurene (she is the biggest of the mantis family, not easy to loose)I like to talk about mantids. Even my mother in law wanted to handle Cleopatra, but Cleo prefferred to stay on my hand lol, I think she didn't recognize my mother in laws hand and preffered to stay with me.
> 
> The ghosts I showed in their cups. I was afraid  to loose them because we have a lot of brown furniture at home.


Love your panthers now we have them together.


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## Mantis Lady

yup, i have only 1, maybe i buy another when I know what gender mine is. it is so small.

When i saw it on my breeders site, I wanted to have one NOW.  And now I have one. I hope i can take more pictures of him, but like the ghosts they are small to get a good pic easy.


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## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Today we celebrated my hubbies birthday and I showed my nephew my new mantis collection. He even handled Aurene (she is the biggest of the mantis family, not easy to loose)I like to talk about mantids. Even my mother in law wanted to handle Cleopatra, but Cleo prefferred to stay on my hand lol, I think she didn't recognize my mother in laws hand and preffered to stay with me.
> 
> The ghosts I showed in their cups. I was afraid  to loose them because we have a lot of brown furniture at home.


Cool! I love it when guests take an interest in my mantids, because I love to show them off and talk about them (Who doesn't ?   )!


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## Mantis Lady

Molting time started again with the molt of Tybalt last night. He had a good molt.


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## hysteresis

@Little Mantis  BEAUTIFUL! 

So... forgive a novice for asking. 

When a mantis molts, I understand they can mismolt from remnants not shed, or from a fall etc.

To molt successfully, do they just drop to the bottom of their enclosure from their molt then climb back up, or do they just step out of it and maintain grip on the surface they started from? 

I mean *typically*.


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## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> So... forgive a novice for asking.


Not a problem at all.  

They search for a good place to molt. Mostly that is on the lid of their homes. They don't jump down after their molt. They climb out of their molt on the lid again to dry.

I hope you can see a molt happening or else there are vids on you tube that shows you a mantis molting.


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## hysteresis

Thanks for so much. 

I just watched this with the boys. I explained why it's so important to LOOK before they move our nymph jars around. 

I imagine we'll have molting Mios soon enough. 

This forum is AMAZING.


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## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt, @Little Mantis! 

@hysteresis Watching them molt is so cool!  This Forum is amazing!

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis

As I understand it, this is the Cadillac of world mantis forums.


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## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> Thanks for so much.


A vid tells morethan 1000 words  Good that your boys watched it too, so they will know what will happen when your mantids molt. Nothing is so fun as watching your own mantids molt.


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## Mantis Lady

Tybalt was very hungry: the fly was just a few sec in his cup and he puts his mandibles in it    Tarzan was hungry too. He grabbed his fly fast too and started eating. The others have tomorrow feeding day. I like mantids with a good appetite.


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## Mantis Lady

I made some new pics of Panther: He is eating a fruitfly.


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## hysteresis

So cute!


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## MantisGirl13

Aww, adorable as always!!!!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

It is their eyes that make them cute but hard to take a good pic of him/her.

I think my last H. golden is a female. I had a good view at her her underside of abdomen and saw she was female. I will give her the name Soraya.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> It is their eyes that make them cute but hard to take a good pic of him/her.
> 
> I think my last H. golden is a female. I had a good view at her her underside of abdomen and saw she was female. I will give her the name Soraya.


Great! Soraya is a good name.   

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tarzan has molted this morning and is in the drying up fase. He is now big enough to help me to get rid of the fat juicy flies. But not today


----------



## hysteresis

That's wonderful.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tarzan ate a big juicy fly today. Think I am going to give him tomorrow another one. His abdomen is still a bit too flat. He has a lot of growing to do.

Aurene just molted and has grown a lot. She hangs to dry now.


----------



## hysteresis

Sounds wonderful!


----------



## Mantis Lady

I will show a pic of freshly molted aurene soon. but not today


----------



## Mantis Lady

Spooky and Ghosty are both molting at the same time  They both are hanging to dry. 3 molts on 1 day. Awaweya and Panther still need to do theirs.

About Cleo, I have the feeling she won't make it. She drank a bit honey water. She needed to molt too, But i fear she will never do it.







This is Aurene molting to L9


----------



## hysteresis

Regarding molting... I know they stop eating and perch up top.

Do they ever come down during the preparation period? Do they drink water during the time they're preparing for molt? How long will they stay like that?

My healthy golden ate a bit the first night, hand fed. Wouldn't hunt. Since then, nothing.

Her (I think a girl too) exoskeleton is definitely looking like a molt is imminent. Should I disturb her to present a qtip of water, or let her be? I mist her bin 2 times a day and even leave droplets of water on the mesh. I dunno. Maybe she is drinking. 

I dont want to mess up.

I did order Orin's newer book, but with the Canada Post labour strike disruption, I may not receive it for several more days.


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> Do they ever come down during the preparation period? Do they drink water during the time they're preparing for molt? How long will they stay like that?


first sign is tthat they stop eating. slapping at their food, avoid prey. Then they choose a spot and stay there. I have my mantids not seen drinking. With Cochise the preparation  took long and was very hot, I gave her water to drink (adulthood) but she was the only one I gave water.



hysteresis said:


> Her (I think a girl too) exoskeleton is definitely looking like a molt is imminent. Should I disturb her to present a qtip of water, or let her be?


Let her be. The preparing takes a lot of energy.

Talking about molting: I saw Panthers mini mini molt, so he molted too yesterday.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Talking about molting: I saw Panthers mini mini molt, so he molted too yesterday.


Little panther molt. That is so cool!

Thanks for your advice.


----------



## Graceface

Congrats on all the molts!


----------



## Mantis Lady

....and Soraya is molting    Nice that they are molting at the same time. Now only Ayaweya to go.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Spooky is getting lighter brown:


----------



## hysteresis

Lovely!


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Spooky is getting lighter brown:


She is so pretty!!! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ayaweya decided not to molt yet. She is eating a fly.

Something annoying happend. I ordered some grasshoppers and the mail man brought it to a wrong adress. And I needed them. Hopefully the person who will have my pakage will bring it to me. I hate dissapearing mail.


----------



## Mantis Lady

My grasshoppers were delivered at the wrong adress. the mail man is blind or something. My number at my door is big. How could he miss it?.

My neighbor gave it to my hubby. I got my grasshoppers. (baby) I can give prey instead roach goo and something to hunt. The grasshopper shop wanted to send another pakkage as replacement, but I wrote them that I got them. But was nice that they offered it, but it wasn't their fault that it got lost.

&lt;/rant&gt;


----------



## Mantis Lady

Panther and his molt






Panther eating a fly


----------



## MantisGirl13

Your panther is adorable! Congrats on the molt! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

My ghosts finnaly ate their bellies full. They both got baby grasshopper abdomen.  I am happy now  . They are too big for FF now..

 Ghosty is still eating.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> My ghosts finnaly ate their bellies full. They both got baby grasshopper abdomen.  I am happy now  . They are too big for FF now..
> 
> Ghosty is still eating.


Awesome! FF, while a necessity, just suck.


----------



## Graceface

Yay! No more FF! Congrats on the molts


----------



## Mantis Lady

Too bad I am not done with FF yet. Little Panther still eats them and will take a couple of molts till he is done with them too.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Too bad I am not done with FF yet. Little Panther still eats them and will take a couple of molts till he is done with them too.


Im hoping to hand feed my mios bits of dubia and cricket. Still two waiting to molt.

Plus one rhombo that needs to molt.

Better grab more 1/4 pin crickets for when they're done.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I will hand feed the ghosts too, till they are big enough they can hunt their prey themselfves. like fat big flies and other prey. They must eat.


----------



## Mantis Lady

The little flies hatched and at the moment Ghosty and Spooky are eating them. All mantids ate. I am happy


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> The little flies hatched and at the moment Ghosty and Spooky are eating them. All mantids ate. I am happy


My biggest Mio nymph and biggest Rhombo nymph got half a cricket each AND ATE EVERYTHING. They're probably good for a couple of days after that.


----------



## Mantis Lady

i have some new pics:












I bought aurene some bigger grasshoppers and her belly is nicely filled.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ayaweya finally decided to molt too. She is now the same size as Tybalt again. Now everybody is molted this month.


----------



## hysteresis

That's awesome. Nice feeling!

I'm _still_ waiting on one.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Yup, I think there is 2 weeks between Ayaweya's molt and that of Tybalt. They used to molt a day or 2 afer each other. But not anymore.  

I hope your last one will be molting soon.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> I hope your last one will be molting soon.


Mio#3 female. I have changed her lid from mesh to paper, thinking maybe she doesn't like the mesh so much. I'll leave six hydei without any fly food to see if she still feeds. The hydei in there should die off by tomorrow if she doesn't feed. 

If she doesnt take anymore hydei, im cutting off the food again and will wait for a molt.

EDIT: She shows no interest in hydei and seems upset when they come across her. I guess that confirms things.


----------



## hysteresis

Oh, and by seeing your panther, I _definitely _want some.

SoOoOooo nice looking.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt!!!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

specially for  @hysteresis Buy one


----------



## hysteresis

@Little Mantis I'm squeeeaaaling! 

I'll ask my guy about panthers. What a super cute species! Like a cartoon! 

Maybe on the next round. I buy mutiples when I do, to make the international overnight shipping worthwhile. Maybe four panthers, and four of another species as well.

That would put me at twenty three mantises across seven species, including the four ghosts and four spinys I ordered.


----------



## hysteresis

And, what a cool mantis toy!

Maybe something to play with when all the mantises are fed and misted. You know, when we're all done and we typically just stand staring at them every five minutes.


----------



## Mantis Lady

The toy is a 3D puzzle I found sowhere on the internet. Aurene is not afraid of it.






Here a pic of Spooky


----------



## MantisGirl13

Your mantids are doing very well! Spooky is beautiful! I love her color! The panther is adorable, as always!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have have no complaints, they are all eating good. I hope this group will all reach adulthood healthy

I don't know if her color changes more with next molt. Ghosties color is still very dark brown. I think he will keep that color but not sure. They are my first 2 ghosts.


----------



## hysteresis

Spooktacular! 

Wow. I am so excited!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Molting time has started: Soraya was the first to molt. She is L6 now.


----------



## Graceface

Congrats on the molt! Your Mantids are adorable


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tybalt just molted. He has grown a lot. He is way bigger than Ayaweya.  \






Think it is time for him to move to a bigger home before his next molt


----------



## Mantis Lady

When I went to bed another mantis molted: Tarzan. He is L6 now.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Another molt, just happend: Spooky molted to L7







wondering how she looks now, but I leave her alone till tomorrow. I think Spooky will get more beautiful witch each molt.

I am expecting Ghosty to molt too soon.


----------



## Graceface

Oooh, exciting! Spooky is L7 now  Gratz on all the molts


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Molting time has started: Soraya was the first to molt. She is L6 now.


And Soraya is H. venosa?

If you find time, can you post a good shot of where her wing buds would be?

Approximately how long is she?

LoL. You know I'm all confused about my goldens' instars now.

[I meant to post this some days ago. If Soraya is L6, how prominent are her wing buds, if any?]


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> And Soraya is H. venosa? ﻿


I got her as hierodula golden. Is that a H. venosa?



hysteresis said:


> Approximately how long is she?


3 CM



hysteresis said:


> If you find time, can you post a good shot of where her wing buds would be?








the wing buds will be growing in "the middle" piece of the mantis body.  This is the back of Soraya. Wing buds not really visible yet.


----------



## hysteresis

Oh okay thank you.

Yes, H golden is Hierodula venosa. Mine is much larger than yours.

Im at work now but if I had to guess from memory, id say approximately 6cm.

Here you can see her wing buds. Would you say this is what wing buds should look like as a presub or sub? Maybe she's indeed L8 or so.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Yours is indeed older than Soraya. Maybe yours is pre sub because you see already wing buds. I am not sure if there is a pre pre sub stage when wing buds start to grow. But i am wondering when they start to get their yellowish color. Yours is still green


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Yours is indeed older than Soraya. Maybe yours is pre sub because you see already wing buds. I am not sure if there is a pre pre sub stage when wing buds start to grow.


*L8 is presub and L9 is sub, wings at L10. Maybe my goldens are L8, received at L7 I guess.THAT's what i'm hoping. If they're L9, Hope wont make it.*



Little Mantis said:


> But i am wondering when they start to get their yellowish color. Yours is still green


*H. venosa can be green or golden up top, and all shades in between. Their undersides are always golden.*

https://www.panterrapets.com/products/golden-giant-asian-mantis-h-venosa

"… it is important to note that some specimens turn out more yellow than others as adults. However, even the specimens that stay more green than yellow as adults have beautiful yellow accents on their underarms, legs and bellies that is absent in a typical adult Giant Asian mantis. "

*Noel...*


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ty for the info on the goldens. I will see how Soraya her colors will be when she is an adult. I got Soraya L2. she has a few molts to go. I think next molt she will grow a lot.  but she ate good today, she ate a few flies.    

Noel looks beautiful. Dont give on Hope. 

It is still sad that Goldie, the male didn't make it because of mismolt. I wanted to see how they will look as adults.




Soraya


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> Oh okay thank you.
> 
> Yes, H golden is Hierodula venosa. Mine is much larger than yours.
> 
> Im at work now but if I had to guess from memory, id say approximately 6cm.
> 
> Here you can see her wing buds. Would you say this is what wing buds should look like as a presub or sub? Maybe she's indeed L8 or so.


That is a subadult that is going to molt to adult any day now, if I am not mistaken!


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on Spooky's molt, btw! She is a beautiful mantis.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

MantisGirl13 said:


> That is a subadult that is going to molt to adult any day now, if I am not mistaken!


Yea that's totally possible. Nice swollen wing buds. 

Means Hope won't be viable.


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> Yea that's totally possible. Nice swollen wing buds.
> 
> Means Hope won't be viable.


What do you mean, she won't be viable?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

MantisGirl13 said:


> What do you mean, she won't be viable?
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Im worried that since she lost one raptorial tibia and one rear tarsus late in her growth. That would leave her with only four tarsi and one raptorial. Id doubt the tibia and tarsus from her raptorial will come back right in one molt. That's if shes indeed subadult.

If they were presub, then maybe. 

It'll be a miracle if I rig her up and she molts succesfully. Even if she can push out, will she be able to climb up her exuvia without falling?

Can she hang from one tarsus long enough for sclerotization to get to that point?


----------



## hysteresis

Noël should molt perfectly. But Hope...


----------



## MantisGirl13

I have had a mantis molt to adult with no use able back legs(they were twisted behind her so an even more difficult molt) just her middle legs and one raptorial tarsus. Don't give up on her yet!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

MantisGirl13 said:


> I have had a mantis molt to adult with no use able back legs(they were twisted behind her so an even more difficult molt) just her middle legs and one raptorial tarsus. Don't give up on her yet!
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Thanks Mantisgirl. I will give it a try.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Give not up on Hope. Maybe the tarsi will partly grow back. I think it will be useful. But how is she doing at the moment?


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Give not up on Hope. Maybe the tarsi will partly grow back. I think it will be useful. But how is she doing at the moment?


I tried suspending her for the evening and she fought it the whole time. I decided this was enough. I let her go.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> But how is she doing at the moment?


Shes frozen  

She pulled on the tape so hard, she was pulling off a tarsus like a sock. I couldnt let it continue.

Lessons learned.


----------



## Mantis Lady

awww, Sorry for your loss I know you did everything you could for her.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty isn't molting at the same time Spooky did. 

Spooky molted begin this week. Normally they molted at a bit the same time. But not now. I gave Ghosty honey/water he drank.  With his arms he held the cotton swab so he could keep on drinking. After that he ate a little fly. Confusing . No molt yet.


----------



## hysteresis

@Little Mantis crazy, hey?

One word. Susannah.


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> One word. Susannah.


Add another: Ghosty. 2 words now.

Is she still eating?


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Add another: Ghosty. 2 words now.
> 
> Is she still eating?


Nope. Not waxworm guts. Not hydei. She just perches.

So either shes gonna molt, or fall over dead.


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm so sorry you lost hope! I hope Susannah molts soon!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

MantisGirl13 said:


> I'm so sorry you lost hope! I hope Susannah molts soon!
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Thanks Mantisgirl 

My consolation is Noël.


----------



## Mantis Lady

@hysteresis  Did susannah molt? Ghosty not yet.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> @hysteresis  Did susannah molt? Ghosty not yet.


Since earlier yesterday, we were away visiting Marcie's mom two hrs north of here. I was hoping to find her freshly molted when we returned. 

To my disappointment, she hasn't molted. She didn't take any hydei.

She's perched upside down with legs splayed wide. We'll wait.

Noël's wings have turned yellow. Maybe the rest of her will also turn. Then she'll be golden.



Hopefully your ghost will molt soon!


----------



## Graceface

Ghosty may take longer than Spooky, as females mature faster than males with Ghosts. Usually with mantids it is the other way around, but male Ghosts take longer, especially on the final 2 molts. Early in their life they will molt at a similar time, but as they grow towards adult, they will molt on separate schedules. Nothing to worry about 

I have 7 siblings where 2 females are adults for a month now, and not a single male is looking even close to being ready for the final molt.

Ghost dudes take their sweet time


----------



## hysteresis

Graceface said:


> Ghost dudes take their sweet time


Thats useful for me to know too.

And, @Graceface, I just may have a couple orchids coming my way. Maybe a mated gravid orchid female too! I dunno.

Im thinking just the nymphs, because that's a lot to bite off for a busy dude like me. And also I is a n00b. We'll see.


----------



## Graceface

hysteresis said:


> Thats useful for me to know too.
> 
> And, @Graceface, I just may have a couple orchids coming my way. Maybe a mated gravid orchid female too! I dunno.
> 
> Im thinking just the nymphs, because that's a lot to bite off for a busy dude like me. And also I is a n00b. We'll see.


That is exciting! I'd stick with the nymphs, too, but you do you 

And yeah, Ghost males are slow to mature. Comparison: Bellatrix has been the fastest female ghost to mature; she molted to adult on 12/14. Her fastest maturing brother, Cam, molted to subadult on 12/18. He will probably take another 2 or 3 weeks from today to get wings. Feels like an eternity, lol.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty is acting normal, but still no molt. I hope a green bottle fly will hatch today, that one will be for him. then i can see if he is still hungry and close to molting.(or not)



Graceface said:


> Ghosty may take longer than Spooky, as females mature faster than males with Ghosts. Usually with mantids it is the other way around, but male Ghosts take longer, especially on the final 2 molts. Early in their life they will molt at a similar time, but as they grow towards adult, they will molt on separate schedules. Nothing to worry about


Thanks for the info. I was used to that they both molted at the same time, but not anymore.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Graceface said:


> Ghost dudes take their sweet time


Yes they do!!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I will try to wait patienly for Ghosty to molt. I am thinking Aurene is preparing for her molt. She gives the prey I give her a threat pose. About the others: they are eating well. Some of the mantids shared a grasshopper. (not many flies has hatched yet) I like mantids who enjoys their food.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> I will try to wait patienly for Ghosty to molt. I am thinking Aurene is preparing for her molt. She gives the prey I give her a threat pose. About the others: they are eating well. Some of the mantids shared a grasshopper. (not many flies has hatched yet) I like mantids who enjoys their food.


Yay! I hope she has a good molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Molt! Molt! Molt!


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> I like mantids who enjoys their food.


My Miomantis caffra are the most aggressive feeders I have. They come straight down and take their prey.

It's unreal. I *love *watching them at feeding time!


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> My Miomantis caffra are the most aggressive feeders I have. They come straight down and take their prey.
> 
> It's unreal. I *love *watching them at feeding time!


I know, I LOVE watching aggressive feeders!

-  MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Soraya is the biggest bottomless pit.  I think she can eat all day if she wants. (h.golden)


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Soraya is the biggest bottomless pit.  I think she can eat all day if she wants. (h.golden)


Ya, my old G. African could too!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty finally molted I wanted to mist his cup and saw a molt on the ground


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Ghosty finally molted I wanted to mist his cup and saw a molt on the ground


YAY!!!!!! Congrats on the molt!!!!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Out of reactions, so here's the best alternative! Congratulations! 

❤❤❤❤❤❤


----------



## Mantis Lady

We have had a molt last night: Aurene got her wings. I will show pics of Aurene with her wings later


----------



## Mantis Lady

I am a bit worried about Aurene.Iit seems like she has no good control over her limbs. She was always calm and taking her time where to set her feet. Now she is hasty bit stressed and not taking time to find a steady spot to put her feet.  Her wings are not totally closed. Maybe something went wrong with molt? Her body looks nomal at the outside.

I wanted to take a pic of her when I saw this in her.







I didnt see her molting because I had to leave my home for a night  because of danger (totally not fun)


----------



## Graceface

Yes, her wings look like they may not have dried correctly. Hopefully, she ie otherwise fine. 

So sorry you missed her molt! Hopefully, everyone was allowed to return to their homes and is safe now.

I hope Aurene is okay


----------



## MantisGirl13

She is beautiful, even if her wings did not dry correctly! If her wings don't close soon, they'll stay like that, but it won't be a bother to her at all.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

But but she hasn't good control over her limbs. When she climbs if it like she is doing it for the first time. Totally not relaxed. She was very relaxed befor her molt.

I gave her some honey water, she took that, She was thirsty. Hand feeding her a part of prey goo didn't work well, maybe I should give her tomorrow some dubia goo. and hope she will turn to her calm self again.

If the wings doesn't close I don't mind. I don't think she will use them to fly. Her legs that is important.


----------



## hysteresis

I hope she improves soon.


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> I hope she improves soon.


Me too! 

Just give her a bit more time to figure it out.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene got some dubia goo in her. I had to force feed her sadly enough  . But she needed some food in her belly. She is most comfortable when she is hanging upside down. She is cleaning herself now. Yesterday I had put a grasshopper with her (a size she could easely handle. Cochise ate them too at this size) But she didn't eat it,  I put grasshopper with the others  so it can eat too. Iomorrow I will put it back and I hope Aurene will hunt it and eat it.




Here Aurene hanging.

I hope the goo will stimlate her hunger feeling and her control over her legs will get better. I have never seen this in a freshley molted mantis. I can't let her explore my desk because of risk of falling and maybe hurting herself.

Leftovers of dubia is being eaten by Tybalt and Tarzan. Ayaweya need to molt soon and she has nicely filled abdomen.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Are her wings any better? I hope she perks up soon! Have you given her honey?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

No change in her wings. they look the way they they are now. Aurene drank today a bit honey and a bit grasshopper goo with honey. but eating is still bad for a mantis of her size. Again i put a grasshopper with her and hopes she will eat it. I am thinking something neurological went wrong during her molt. That gives her stress I think. She feels fine in the upside dowm position. en she acts normal. She is now cleaning herself.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> No change in her wings. they look the way they they are now. Aurene drank today a bit honey and a bit grasshopper goo with honey. but eating is still bad for a mantis of her size. Again i put a grasshopper with her and hopes she will eat it. I am thinking something neurological went wrong during her molt. That gives her stress I think. She feels fine in the upside dowm position. en she acts normal. She is now cleaning herself.


I'm glad that she is eating a little bit! IF she acts normal, she should be ok, even if she is deformed. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

when Aurene is hanging at the lid she looks normal, but  in the other positions she is not comfortable. When i was cleaning her home she started to climb my desk, but somehow it looked too hasty to me and the poor girl fell.  letting her roam my desk is a no, I don't want her to get hurt. I hope the control over her legs will get better so climbing will be normal again. She has all her tarsi intact, that is not the problem.



MantisGirl13 said:


> I'm glad that she is eating a little bit!


It isn't much, but she got honey water and a bit of goo into her, and that is better than nothing. But i hope that I don't find the grasshopper in her home  tomorrow and that it is eaten.


----------



## Mantis Lady

This worked better : feeding her when she hangs,. The grasshopper I had put in her home, was still not eaten the next day.. so I decide to feed her this way. This worked much better. She drank honey water and ate a bit grasshopper goo. I will feed her everyday like this now.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I ordered a new female H. membranacea. I dont think Aurene will be able to mate with my males. I hope my new female will reach adulthood healthy. I keep caring for Aurene till she dies. She is in her home, being very alert and hanging like a healthy mantis do.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Aurene looks ok, but with wings like that, mating could be difficult. I hope that your new female gets to adult safely! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene still don't have good control over her legs that was why I was thinking, mating is not the thing for her, I didn't even think about her wings, but you are right it will be difficult for a male to mount her.  Lets say Aurene is a bit handicapped now. And sadly no more molt to change that.

I hope Aurene will get used to the handfeeding and she will eat better. I will feed her roach goo tomorrow. There is more goo in a roach than in a grasshopper. She is not holding her prey herself yet, but i hope she will do it  soon. saves me cramp in my hand  

I have to think about for a name for the new girl, but I have a couple of days for that.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Good news! Aurene ate almost a mid size dubia I am so happy. :clap:


----------



## Graceface

Oh, Yay! So glad she took some real food! That is a good sign


----------



## hysteresis

That's gotta feel good.


----------



## Mantis Lady

At first I gave her honey water, she drank from it, then I gave her dubia goo. She ate it. I gave her a bigger bit and she grabbed that of my tweezers and started eating that bit. i thought maybe she will like the abdomen, I gave her that. The abdomen dissapeard fast in her stomach. And at last she ate the upper body too. I was so happy to see her eating a normal meal  

This gives her a chance to survive :clap: I hope she keeps eating, She wants to live. Maybe whith good food in her belly she gets better control of her limbs. but time will tell.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yay!!! I am so glad she is eating again! 
- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Absolutely good news!

Get that belly full!


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> Yay!!! I am so glad she is eating again!
> - MantisGirl13


Test will be tomorrow  she will get feeding time again. Don't want to give her not much food in 1 go.



hysteresis said:


> Absolutely good news!
> 
> Get that belly full!


It will but not too fastShe didnt throw up or something so that is good


----------



## Mantis Lady

We have had a new molt today: Soraya. She molted to L7


----------



## Graceface

Congrats on the molt


----------



## hysteresis

So much fun!  Congratulations!


----------



## Mantis Lady

My new female H. menbranacea arrived today and she is not green. i dont know to the name this color, but she looks cool with it. she is sitting in her home and ate a fly. Her name is Alana.

 pics will follow later.


----------



## hysteresis

Alana! Lovely name.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt! Alana is a beautiful name. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I am still wating for Ayaweya and Panther to molt. They are taking their time to do it.. I would love to see them both grow. But I need to be patient.

Update: Aurene ate a grasshoper today. If I am offering the grasshopper alive, she don't wanna grab it, but cut in 2 pieces and put it before her mouth, she grab it of tweezers and start eating.

Now some pics after Alanas dinner of 3 greenbottle flies  I hope she will keep this color. It is something different that basic green.


----------



## Graceface

What a cutie! 

At least Aurene is still eating, always a good sign


----------



## MantisGirl13

She is so pretty! I hope you have more molts soon!
- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Somehow Alana is getting bigger "pupils" when you look at her like on the second pic. I like it.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Somehow Alana is getting bigger "pupils" when you look at her like on the second pic. I like it.


It looks like she damaged her eyes, actually. Probably trying to hunt her neighbor through the side of the cage...

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

hmm, she don't have them always, Only when there is looked at her from a angle. I hope the next molt will fix her eyes.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ayaweya a couple of days ago. laying flat and with her butt up






maybe she was trying to hide from Alana who was eating a part grasshopper.






Still no molt, and not a molt coming soon, she ate almost 3/4 grasshopper. Panther still no molt either.


----------



## RebelleSinner

Look at that cutie mug!!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene grabbed a mid size dubia from my tweezers, She is eating well


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Aurene grabbed a mid size dubia from my tweezers, She is eating well


I love it when they get well, and eat.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Soraya need to learn to eat from tweezers too. She is scared a lot since her stressful experience a couple of days ago. She accepted the goo of a dubia. But a little piece that is too scary.But She got some goo in her.


----------



## hysteresis

You're taking good care of her! 

❤


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> You're taking good care of her!
> 
> ❤


yeah, but it was not enough to save her life....


----------



## hysteresis

Oh nooooo. I'm sorry.


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm sorry about Soraya. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I wanted to feed Tarzan but I saw his molt laying on the ground of his home. I think that he after his next molt needs to move to a bigger home


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yay! Gratz on the molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Le sigh..... molts and molts and molts!


----------



## Mantis Lady

But 2 still didn't molt the last round: Panther and Ayaweya Why are those 2 mantids not molting?


----------



## hysteresis

Fussy, aren't they?


----------



## Mantis Lady

I made this pic a couple of days ago while feeding Aurene:







Dubia brains are yummie Here you can see her wings too. No male can mount her. But she is beautiful the way she is. She is eating good. no complaints about that.

It was not easy to take a pic when she is hanging upside down. This pic was the best one i could take.

still no molts from Panther and Ayaweya. and Tybalt has huge wingbuds so his molt wont take long.


----------



## hysteresis

Great photo!


----------



## Foxhill

Dubia Brains  hehehe


----------



## Mantis Lady

I had a molt last night, but not Ayawea or Panther, but Alana. I will have a look at her eyes later to see the damage is gone.


----------



## Graceface

Congrats on the molt


----------



## Mantis Lady

Something made me very happy today: Aurene is roaming on my desk. :clap: I misted her home and she was climbing of the lid. so I thought, lets try to let her climb. It is now way better than it used to be.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Something made me very happy today: Aurene is roaming on my desk. :clap: I misted her home and she was climbing of the lid. so I thought, lets try to let her climb. It is now way better than it used to be.


This is an EXCELLENT update!


----------



## Mantis Lady

this picture I after i fed some of my mantids. tybalt dont want to eat, so i gave him something to drink instead. He was very thirtsy. he grabbed the cotton swab and was holding it by himself  while drinking. Honey water is yummie






His wingbuds are huge. I am expecting his molt soon. then he is an adult and Ayaweya STILL pre sub adult.

But still no molt of Ayaweya or Panther It is getting too long for my feeling. Ayaweya don't want to eat or drink.  I don't get it why they don't want to molt. *sighs*


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yummy honey water! Can't wait for him to molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> Can't wait for him to molt!


Tybalt is molting right now, he hangs in the drying up fase and then he need to inflate his wings. So he is an adult  now and Ayaweya is 2 (!!!) instars behind now and 1 got both at L2. They won't get a chance to mate with eat other.  

Aurene and Alana are looking at Tybalt during his molt


----------



## hysteresis

Congratulations on Tybalt's molt to adult. Too bad Ayaweya is so far behind.

But, ive learned it does get worse. So, we should celebrate the good.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Here is Tybalt inflating his wings. He will be a handsome mantis.

I don't want to think negative about Ayaweya, but the longer she waits, she will die..


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Here is Tybalt inflating his wings. He will be a handsome mantis.
> 
> I don't want to think negative about Ayaweya, but the longer she waits, she will die..


I was sad when my truncata male nymph died suddenly, and i felt loss as I have a beautiful female that I wanted to pair him with. BUT we can't forget that regardless of what happens, our surviving specimens are lovely and fascinating.

Worst case, I'll have a gorgeous adult female in the end. Well, that's not worst case, but you get my gist.


----------



## Mantis Lady

oh yeah, I am happy seeing another mantis reach adulthood. I wanted to mate Tybalt with Ayaweya, but that won't happen. but I am happy Tybalt made It.  He is almost done with inflating.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congratulations on Tybalt's molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

He has beautiful nice formed wings.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tybalt his wings are dried up. they are looking good on him. He had a good molt :clap:


----------



## hysteresis

Congrats! He is handsome!


----------



## Graceface

Congrats! He is an adorable guy


----------



## MantisGirl13

He is so beautiful! Can we see the colors inside his raptorial arms?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> He is so beautiful! Can we see the colors inside his raptorial arms?


How do i do that?  It is red/blackish as far as I have seen. I took a pic with Tybalt eating. There you can get an idea how his arms looks like at the inside.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Great pic! I

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Look at those arms!


----------



## River Dane

Tybalt is beautiful! Congrats on the molt, glad to hear everything went well


----------



## Mantis Lady

But is still strange Ayaweya is stil pre sub she is not acting sick.

Aurene is acting like a normal mantis now, taking the time to climb, where to set her feet. She doesn't fall anymore


----------



## Mantis Lady

River Dane said:


> Tybalt is beautiful! Congrats on the molt, glad to hear everything went well


He looks complete now, with his wings and his coloration


----------



## Mantis Lady

Good news!  This makes me happy: :clap: 

Ayaweya finally molted and as far I can see was it a good one. I don't know why she waited so long. but I am happy she did and did not die.

Here she is: she has grown a lot.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yay!!!!!!!! Congratulations on the molt! Ayaweya is beautiful!!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Good news!  This makes me happy: :clap:
> 
> Ayaweya finally molted and as far I can see was it a good one. I don't know why she waited so long. but I am happy she did and did not die.
> 
> Here she is: she has grown a lot.


Congratulations indeed! Beautiful mantis!


----------



## Mantis Lady

He is a cutie, but he still didn't molt. he does't not want to grow up. It makes me crazy.






Update on Aurene: she grabbed this grashopper herself. Somehow she got good control over her legs again over time.  I am proud of my girl

Tomorrow I am getting a few S. gastrica L2 nympfs. The seller didn't had L4s so I am getting extra and extra food. Good i still have FF because of Panther, but these litte ones  can eat from that too.  It is a nice Birthday gift to myself and I bought the book of Orin now too.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> He is a cutie, but he still didn't molt. he does't not want to grow up. It makes me crazy.


I find that my panthers took a long time to molt. They didnt want to eat - even hydei. They did eventually molt.



Little Mantis said:


> Update on Aurene: she grabbed this grashopper herself. Somehow she got good control over her legs again over time.  I am proud of my girl


Fantastic news! 



Little Mantis said:


> Tomorrow I am getting a few S. gastrica L2 nympfs. The seller didn't had L4s so I am getting extra and extra food. Good i still have FF because of Panther, but these litte ones  can eat from that too.  It is a nice Birthday gift to myself and I bought the book of Orin now too.


Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  unk: 



Enjoy your new arrivals, and enjoy the book! Post photos of the gastricas when you have them.


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> Post photos of the gastricas when you have them.


I will .

About the book of Orin: I didn't know that there are a lot of beautiful mantis pics in there . I have a lot of info to read


----------



## Charoozz520

Your panther is adorable!! They are on my list and I hope to find someone in the U.S who is selling them.


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm so glad that Aurene is doing well! I hope panther molts soon!

And happy birthday! Mine's tomorrow!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

MantisGirl13 said:


> And happy birthday! Mine's tomorrow!


Ooooh! Another HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> Ooooh! Another HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


Thanks!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> And happy birthday! Mine's tomorrow!


My birthday is the 26th so the stuff I bought are early birthday presents  Happy birtday to you.



MantisGirl13 said:


> I hope panther molts soon


I hope it too, i don't want him to die of not molting. Talking about molting: Ghosty is busy molting right now. He is now in the drying up fase.



Charoozz520 said:


> Your panther is adorable!! They are on my list and I hope to find someone in the U.S who is selling them.


 I hope you can find a seller who has them. they are soo cute.



> Enjoy your new arrivals, and enjoy the book! Post photos of the gastricas when you have them.


I got my pakage, but there was an accident with one of the new mantids. His cup opend somehow and it got out and was smashed by the FF culture during transit... the second one is healthy, his cup was still closed. I think someone wasn't  careful with my pakkage and this happend. I mailed the breeder about it. the second one was a freebie, but losing a mantis life is always sad.

The living one is in his new home. L2 gasticas are soo small. I will take a picture of It later. t is very active with walking around his home.


----------



## Charoozz520

I am sorry about the mantis, that really sucks. Was the lid tape onto the cup? Hopefully you can work something out with the breeder


----------



## Mantis Lady

Charoozz520 said:


> I am sorry about the mantis, that really sucks. Was the lid tape onto the cup? Hopefully you can work something out with the breeder


No, the lid was not taped to the cup.  when i opend the pakkage i saw the cup was open. I was hoping the mantis got somehwere between the papers and was still alive. but sadly enough i found him smashed on FF container. And the FF was extra too for both of the nympfs since they are both L2 and not ready for the big fruit flies.


----------



## Charoozz520

Little Mantis said:


> No, the lid was not taped to the cup.  whwn i opend the pakkage i saw the cup was open. I was hoping the mantis got somehwere between the papers and was still alive. but sadly enough i found him smashed on FF container. And the FF was extra too for both of the nympfs since they are both L2 and not ready for the big fruit flies.


I know the post office isn't the best at handling packages but everyone I have ordered from had always taped the lid because with all the toss and turning its bound to come off.


----------



## hysteresis

@Little Mantis im sorry this happened to you! 

Ive never received a nymph cup without the lid being taped on. What a bummer!


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm so sorry you lost the little guy, @Little Mantis!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I will be getting a new one next week. That is nice.

But a good thing happend yesterday too: Ghosty had a good molt.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yay! Congratulations on Ghosty's molt! It looks like he is subadult now!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

He is now L8 if I am right. I hope Spooky will molt soon too. Then they will be the same age again. and not a whole instar like Ayaweya and Tybalt.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene got a freshly molted dubia a couple of days ago. She  was really enjoying it


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Aurene got a freshly molted dubia a couple of days ago. She  was really enjoying it


That's a beautiful shot.

Love her! ❤

And, congrats on the molt!


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yum! Nothing better than soft, gooey dubia!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty and molt.






Ghosty is handsome






Tybalt is a beautiful mantis now his wings turned more green.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Handsome!


----------



## Mantis Lady

I took a nap and when I woke up I saw Spooky has molted:






Good I rehomed them last week to a bigger cup


----------



## Mantis Lady

I took a pic of my new gastrica. This was the best pic:


----------



## hysteresis

And that there, is why I do this.

Young nymphs are adorable!

Enjoy your new baby! ❤


----------



## Mantis Lady

Sure they are. And it is cool to see them growing up and getting their wings


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have sad news too: Panther died. I was misting the mantids homes (i do before i go to sleep and a have an extra look on my mantids) I found the poor guy dead. I was suspecting him to die yesterday because he was letargic. Not like he used to be: alert of his surroundings. Somehow he couldn't molt and that costed him his life. I don't know why. I wish he could molt and grow up, but nope. I feel sad about it. That is the sad part of the hobby...

But Spooky is doing fine: I am glad she had a good molt.


----------



## hysteresis

So sad. Im sorry!


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm so sorry!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I tried to get Spooky and Ghosty together, but sadly enough not with their faces looking the same.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Spooky is so cute


----------



## MantisGirl13

She's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Bad day in NL.

Best regards. ❤


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> Bad day in NL.


Yeah, For the ppl who lives in utrecht. There  are a lot of cazy ppl in the world.


----------



## hysteresis

Yes there are. Everywhere.


----------



## Mantis Lady

How can ppl just shoot others? I don't get it. I heard they got the guy who did it, I hope he can rot in jail and trow the key away. Be gone with ppl like that.


----------



## hysteresis

Doesn't bring back those that lost their lives.


----------



## hysteresis

Anyway. DAMN Spooky is CUTE!


----------



## Mantis Lady

They didn't attack each other


----------



## Mantis Lady

We have another molt today. I was suspecting this one because I saw Tarzans abdomen. It  was slightly wrinkled . But he did it while I was napping.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt! What Instar is he now?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Congratulations on Tarzan's molt!


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> Congrats on the molt! What Instar is he now?


If i am right pre subadult. He has the beginning of wing buds.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> If i am right pre subadult. He has the beginning of wing buds.


Great! Can I see a pic of his wingbuds?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

ok, will take a pic of his back


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tarzan eating his first meal after his molt. He has grown a lot.






And I had a molt again: Rytlock. Gladly he kept his color and not turning green..






And Rytlock will be on the rehoming list. Next time he needs more space to molt. He is getting too big for his cup. His cup will be in a couple of months of 1 of the gastricas.


----------



## hysteresis

My dude has S. gastricas for me.

He has P. spurcas too.

At least I hope to get them when they're ready.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Those  2 L2 gastricas  I have are small stomachs on 6 legs that think they are big.  They grab those FF with ease Both the L2s have good filled abdomens

@hysteresis how many are you goging to get?


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Those  2 L2 gastricas  I have are small stomachs on 6 legs that think they are big.  They grab those FF with ease Both the L2s have good filled abdomens
> 
> @hysteresis how many are you goging to get?


Im not sure.

I think moving forward, 3m 2f is the right purchase size. LoL. For any future acquisition of a new species.


----------



## River Dane

Congrats on the molts @Little Mantis! Tarzan looks like a subadult based on his wingbuds to me. 

I also really love he coloration of Rytlock. Nice name too


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yes, Tarzan is subadult! I agree with River Dane.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

If Tarzan is subadult then he will get his wings next molt, but mating with Aurene wont work with her spread wings. Maybe he can mate with Alana later. I will see.

I hope Rytlock will keep this color. Alana was the same color like Rytlock, but she is turning green slowly with each molt.

Only Ayaweya and Alana still  needs to molt. then everyone who needed to molt, has done their molt.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Here 1 of my gastrica l2 nymphs. Not abad picture I say  They are doing fine and eating a lot. isn't he cute. (i call them he/him till I know the gender


----------



## MantisGirl13

So cute!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

cute X infinity = your gastrica


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene is a bit handicapped again, She somehow jumped down and hurt her leg.( while her out time)  She has a fat abdomen ( i think she needs to lay an ooth soon) but she don't use it when she hangs upside down. She just let her leg hang. I put her prey on the lid it self so she can grab it. She has a good appetite. I will try to take a pic  later.

No more molts for her, she has to live with that.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Oh no! I hope she's ok. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

She devoured a freshly molted grasshopper this afternoon. she is ok, she eats, but she dont use the leg while hanging. so I keep her in hanging position so she she doesn't need to use the leg. Or put her weight on it.


----------



## hysteresis

Keep us updated!


----------



## Mantis Lady

I will


----------



## Charoozz520

Little Mantis said:


> Aurene is a bit handicapped again, She somehow jumped down and hurt her leg.( while her out time)  She has a fat abdomen ( i think she needs to lay an ooth soon) but she don't use it when she hangs upside down. She just let her leg hang. I put her prey on the lid it self so she can grab it. She has a good appetite. I will try to take a pic  later.
> 
> No more molts for her, she has to live with that.


She should be okay, I was worry about my female spiny because during her molt she lost both tarsal on one side and would only hang from two legs. But now three weeks later shes learning how to properly balance herself and use those legs. I would put mesh or some type of fabric on the sides of the enclosure though just so it's easier for her to get up and down.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene is doing fine, she is having a good appetite. Wondering when she is going to lay an ooth. I hope she will better at it than Cochise. She is fat. I have put sticks with here, so she can lay her ooth there.

1 of my little gastrica's molted this morning. It is still very small, but was eating fruitflies fast.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Think Alana is close to her molt if I see her hanging. She refused a grasshopper earlier, so it won't surprise me.

Ayaweya is not molting yet. She is eating at the moment.







Here a pic of how Aurene hangs and avoid using her leg. I Think it is her foot (tarsi) that is hurting her. But she eating well.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I had a better look at her leg, but it is not her foot. She hurt herself at the start of that leg. I saw a wound there on the joint. I can imagine that she prefers not using that leg. will wounds heal like with us? Like that there will be a crust on it like with us? It doesn't bleed.

questions, questions....


----------



## MantisGirl13

The wound cannot fully heal as she won't molt again, but it will scab up.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

So maybe liquid bandage?


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> So maybe liquid bandage?


Chemicals, especially in a spot that is groomed a lot, are never a good idea because there is always a chance she could ingest it.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> The wound cannot fully heal as she won't molt again, but it will scab up.
> 
> - MantisGirl13


then  I hope it will heal enough so she can  use her leg. but she has to live with that leg. Too bad she don't have molts anymore..


----------



## Mantis Lady

I forgot to say that Alana  molted. she has grown a lot.


----------



## hysteresis

Out of reactions, but wow! Pretty!

Congratulations.


----------



## Mantis Lady

She has 1 more molt to go then she will have her wings :clap: 

Only ayaweya needs to molt, but she isn't preparing yet. She ate a small  grasshopper. I want to see her with wings too. Next molting round will be a lot of mantids getting their wings  (except Rytlock and the 2 gastricas (bottomless pits)


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt! She's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Alana having her free time on my desk:











Tybalt climbing my monitor.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Looks like she's having fun!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

They like being free to roam.  (I hope)


----------



## hysteresis

Jedi Master Lucia


----------



## MantisGirl13

hysteresis said:


> Jedi Master Lucia


I noticed that too! Lol  

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

LOL you have to look to Tybalt and not my screen


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> LOL you have to look to Tybalt and not my screen


I lurked once. I saw you and your friends are very into Star Wars.


----------



## Mantis Lady

yup, I am, but not as much as in the past. I am more facinated by mantids now Next week a friend with a good camera will be taking pics of my mantids. Then i have pics of them in detail







Tybalt: handsome as ever. But I am seeing that his eyes has a darker glow.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

I love the green. Wow!


----------



## Charoozz520

Those eyes are beautiful!


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have to say Tybalt is perfect

Here a pic of Ayaweya: same age, 1 instar behind. She is here grooming herself after a drink of honey water. Her abdomen is full and I wanted to put some fluids in there. She was thirtsty.


----------



## MantisGirl13

From the angle of the camera, it looks like her wingbuds are a bit swollen. She might molt soon!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have the same feeling. I hope she will indeed molt soon. I have not the idea her addomen is getting flatter at the moment. But she needs her fluids.

I would love to see her with wings and maybe mating with Tybalt. The H.masjusculas are a beautiful species as adults. Tybalt is just a pefect mantis with his looks.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tybalt is restless walking in his home sometimes. I think it is the urge that he wants to mate. But Ayaweya is still in her "teens" Poor guy.

Ayaweya isn't peparing yet, she is eating a small grasshopper


----------



## hysteresis

Hope she moves along a bit, hey?


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have put Ayaweya in a bigger enclosure to give her some room to lay an ooth,  if she has done it, I can put her back in her own home.

A few days ago i was looking at tybalt. His eyes has turned darker like you can see on the pic I made of him when he had his out time.






The second gastica molted too. They both are L3 but they have some size difference. 1 molt to go to see what gender they are


----------



## Mantis Lady

Can someone tell me why Tybalt has those spots on his eyes? I have never seen it before.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Could be eye rub or night eyes.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

It is not night eyes. The lights are on and all other mantids have "day" eyes. eye rub  cam he get that bumbing his head to stuff? Could that be it? He has restless periods when he is walking in his home like I want to get out. (think he wants to look for a mate)


----------



## MantisGirl13

Ok. It is probably eye rub then. If he is bumping against stuff then that could damage his eyes like that.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I hope he won't loose his sight.


----------



## MantisGirl13

He shouldn't. It's just a mark on the outside of the eye, it shouldn't affect anything inside.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Good to know  Too bad Ayaweya can't help him with his urge to get out and mate. I can't let him roam freely here with a dog in my home.

Aurene eating a grasshopper. you can see her mandibles clearly  she is soo fat en still being hungry. Unbelievelble. I hope she will lay an ooth soon.

.





Spooky here eating her dinner. The Grasshopper fought for its life.. It was trying to jump free. But Spooky won.


----------



## MantisGirl13

So pretty! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

It is nice weather today and I was in my garden. The temperature is nice too, so i took Aurene out to let her enjoy being outside and sun. I hope it will trigger her to lay an ooth. She is very fat and I hope she will lay one soon...


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have sad news: Tybalt is dying. I found him on the floor of his home. Too bad he never had the chance to mate.







Yesterday he ate some flies, was active like normal but today he is slowly fading away... Maybe the stress of not able to mate was too much. Now there is black spots in his eyes too.


----------



## hysteresis

I'm very sorry, @Little Mantis!

Very tragic.


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm so sorry Little Mantis. He will be missed.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I have made him comfy as possible. Sitting on a bed of fake flowers.(better than laying on his back) I gave him some honey water. He drank from it. I dont think he will make the night.


----------



## Mantis Lady

This I made this morning: Tybalt on his flower bed in the sun. This was an experience I wanted to give him before he goes to mantis heaven.


----------



## hysteresis

Soooo sorry.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tybalt died yesterday  and Ayaweya decided to grow up. She molted yesterday to adult. She has finally her wings.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Oh it is not going wel with Aurene. I saw she was trying to push out black stuff. i thought it was poop, I cleaned it and i think it is (rotten) ooth material and found out she is sluggishmaybe she will drink honey water, but i have a bad feeling about this....


----------



## MantisGirl13

I hope Aurene is ok! Congrats on Ayaweya's molt.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

MantisGirl13 said:


> I hope Aurene is ok!


no, she isn't..... sadly enough Aurene is dying. She was trying to lay an ooth but somehow it didn't work. There is a kind of greenish "poop" in her home.  She had a difficult molt. Maybe this is an after effect of that. She can't hang anymore after I cleaned her....






...and this brownish color in her face.....

Bah, is hard to loose 2 mantids in a few days.


----------



## hysteresis

So sorry, @Little Mantis!


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm sorry. Hugs!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Update on Aurene: she is detoriating very fast. Her face is turning more brown. she barely moves. I said to her she can go to mantis heaven.  I cleaned her butt again so she won't die with a dirty butt.

Tomorrow morning she will be dead... poor girl.

She tried to push out more ooth foam  (black), but no use. Why didn't she just lay her ooth sooner? Was something already wrong her with since her last molt? that was difficult. Her first week with barely eating? I will miss her.

What could I have done for her? I had placed her in a bigger home with sticks to lay on. Sighs.... can I prevent this? or was it bad luck for Aurene?


----------



## Mantis Lady

Aurene is gone. I buried her in the mantis cemetery in my garden. Her face was discolored except for the eyes. She was a good mantis. Very curious, liked to explore. She was nice.


----------



## hysteresis

I'm sorry, @Little Mantis.

You've had a bad week.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Yeah. this week sucks


----------



## Mantis Lady

Rytlock molted a few days ago, . Now is Tarzan inflating his wings I hope Alana will grow to adulthood too. Ghosty is not far from molting either if I look at his wing buds.

Ayaweya looks perfect like Tybalt did. I love H. masjusculas

 I buried Tybalt. His abdomen was discoloring. I think I had to clean his abdomen too. I  will try it again when another mantis go to mantis heaven.

I made a seond mantis photo book. Tybalt is in there too. He and Aurene will never be forgotten.




Tarzan at this moment




  Ayaweya with her beautiful colors.




  Spooky and ghosty.


----------



## hysteresis

Lovely. Beautiful. 

We love our mantis friends.


----------



## Mantis Lady

hysteresis said:


> We love our mantis friends.


yup we do


----------



## MantisGirl13

Beautiful mantids. Gratz on the molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

thanks


----------



## Mantis Lady

Here is Tarzan wiith his beautiful wings:


----------



## MantisGirl13

He's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

I ordered 2  L3 Creos today. I wanted to have this for a long time since my old ones died last year. Think it is time to take care of them again.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> I ordered 2  L3 Creos today. I wanted to have this for a long time since my old ones died last year. Think it is time to take care of them again.


Must be so nice to order legally.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Yup, here in Europe it is very easy.

Spooky molted to aduldhood this morning


----------



## hysteresis

Sorry, out of reactions. But, congratulations! I cant wait to see my ghosts maturing.

Very nice.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I am waiting for ghosty to molt too. He has  very swollen wing buds too. When Spooky is dried up/harden I will move her to a cup with more width. She needs more room to move now.


----------



## Graceface

Gratz on the molt! Ghost are so much fun 

Also, ayaweya is beautiful!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Spooky with her wings


----------



## Mantis Lady

The 2 Creos are home. They are soo small  but I could take a pic of one of them. They are sitting now in their cup eating fruit flies.






Still no molting of Ghosty. It has been a while that he ate something .


----------



## Mantis Lady

More news: 1 of the gastricas molted. I think it is big enough to have a good look at its butt: is it male or female? I let it be for a while, till it has eaten and has a nicely filled abdomen to see the sengments.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty finally molted  He is hanging to dry and then his next job is inflating his wings I think Spooky will like her mate (not to eat)

2 molts on 1 day and 2 new arrivals. A good day.






finally ghosty has his wings too






creo nymph: 1 of my 2 new creos. they are Cute.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molts and the new addition! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty has beautiful wings and they are light brown. I show tomorrow a pic of this handsome guy.

Alana isn't giving the fly in her home attention. She ate 1 earlier today. If the fly isn't gone by tomorrow then I know enough: she is preparing for her final molt.

I hope I  can try to let Ghosty and Spooky mate in a few weeks. (and hope Ghosty won't be eaten.)


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> I hope I  can try to let Ghosty and Spooky mate in a few weeks. (and hope Ghosty won't be eaten.)


While I've not tried yet, it imagine ghosts would be super easy and prolific in producing oothecae. 

I'll be separating adult males from adult females tomorrow or Monday. Just not ghosts yet. Spiny males and the handicapped panther male are getting set up upstairs. Nymphs and females will stay downstairs. This week I'll have the male mega, and next week the truncata male to go upstairs


----------



## MantisGirl13

Ghosts are very easy to breed and females regularly lay ooths every week. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Here Ghosty is showing his wings:









His anntenea are longer too.


----------



## MantisGirl13

He's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Pretty! I love the shape of their wings.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I thought his wings would be the same color as the rest of his body. But I like this color of wings on him. He looks more like a dried old leaf now.

Here a better pic of one of my creo nymphs


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> Here a better pic of one of my creo nymphs


Cool eyes!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Meet Hercules: first L4 male Sphodromantis Gastrica. He was big enough to see his butt clearly. He has one little handicap. He does't use  right hind leg with  walking. I hope next  molt will heal his leg.






The other  oneI don't know yet. Waiting for it to molt to see what gender it is.


----------



## MantisGirl13

He's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Hercules is not doing well.  He is letargic.  He didn't eat his fruit flies.... The molt he went trough wasn't a good one. I was hoping it was just only his leg. But he is fading away  * sighs*


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Hercules is not doing well.  He is letargic.  He didn't eat his fruit flies.... The molt he went trough wasn't a good one. I was hoping it was just only his leg. But he is fading away  * sighs*


Oh no! Have you tried honey water?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

He is almost gone.... Drinking some honey water won't help. They seem so strong and fragile at the same time. Too bad I won't see his wings


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> He is almost gone.... Drinking some honey water won't help. They seem so strong and fragile at the same time. Too bad I won't see his wings


 Sad news. Sorry @Little Mantis


----------



## Jaywo

Sorry about your loss.


----------



## Mantis Lady

yeah, Hercules didn't make it. I buried him in the mantis cemetary. He was just L4...

Some good news: Alana got her wings. She molted last night and so did 1 of the Creo's.

Will post a pic of Alana later


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm sorry.

Congrats on the molts though!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Sorry @Little Mantis. That sucks. 

Me too. I woke up to a dead i2 bleph. 

I guess it happens. He was an extra, so I still have my six.  All seven of my stalli babies are fine though.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Sorry for your loss too @hysteresis Lets say Hercules was an extra too. I ordered 1 gastrica and got 2. I hope the other survives.

Alana looks perfect: nice soft green color and the wings looks good. Think she will like a nice juicy grasshoper tomorrow. One of the biggest grasshoppers has her name already on it


----------



## Mantis Lady

Alana ate yesterday the grasshopper with her name on it. It was freshly molted so extra jummie as you can see in this pic


----------



## MantisGirl13

She's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Chomp chomp


----------



## Mantis Lady

alana is hanging here the whole day A lazy life


----------



## MantisGirl13

She looks comfy! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Gorgeous!


----------



## Mantis Lady

My gastitrica female is molting at the moment (think L4) I have called her Xena. I hope it will be a good molt:






Alana was this night roaming on my desk and here I found her this morning:


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Thanks  but she is really a he. I was looking at his butt and saw it was a male. I saw an extra segment on is abdomen. Think he will get the name Hercules.

As far as I know his molt went well.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Trying to mate Spooky and Ghosty tonight. Ghosty has mounted Spooky, but is not trying to connect (yet) I had put them together and it didnt take long before he climbed on back of Spooky. Spooky didnt had a problem with that. I had given her some prey she ate. But nothing has happend yet.


----------



## hysteresis

Very sweet!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty is trying to connect now.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Yay!!! Any connection yet?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Nope, Ghosty tried a few times to move his butt over Spookies abdomen, but that is it.  He just sits on her back and Spooky don't mind it. Both both with their heads pointing to the ground.

They look cute together. Spooky moves her butt,  maybe she signals: Ghosty hurry up.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Hurry up ghosty!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Nope, He sits still on Spookies back and does nothing. Is he scared to mate? how long does it  take for ghosts to get it done? I suspected more action of him.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Nope, He sits still on Spookies back and does nothing. Is he scared to mate? how long does it  take for ghosts to get it done? I suspected more action of him.


It should only take a few hours once he's connected.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

woke up this morning and saw that Ghosty hung on the underside of Spooky, I moved Ghosty back on her back. I don't know if there is been a connection.  Ghosty won't let Spooky go. (yet) I moved them to my desk so I watch them better


----------



## Mantis Lady

Update spooky and Ghosty:  Ghosty STILL sits on Spookies back. Did they connect  with each other or not? I don't know.

I gave Spooky another baby grasshopper...she ate it

.





I have put them on a fake plant.


----------



## hysteresis

So tender


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ghosty was hanging like normally on Spookies back. I took him away of her. And they both are resting in their own cups. Think I will try again next week because i 'still don't know if they have connected.

Think Spooky is tired off carriying Ghosty for a day. She can sleep now.


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> I think Spooky is tired off carriying Ghosty for a day. She can sleep now.


I had to separate my spinys after 4 days. Tonight she gets another male.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I will try Alana and Tarzan too next week too

The biggest roach has already her name on it  I am out this weekend so not time to let them mate.

My mantis sitter knows how she must care for my mantids while i am camping. I am only taking Alana, Ghosty and Spooky with me (ghosty because i am handfeeding him) the others to show to kids there


----------



## hysteresis

It's sweet to share this hobby.


----------



## Mantis Lady

And I howed spooky and alana during the weekend camping. some didnt know there are a lot of mantis species.  The mantis sitter could somehow not enter my home, they they had was bad. too bad my mantids didnt got the care they wanted, but gladly enough they were all alive and one of the creos molted.

I told the mantis sitter that that key needs to be replaced and tested.

Here a pic of Alana enjoying the sun


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm glad everyone is ok! Congrats on the molt. Alana is beautiful!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Not everyone is ok. 1 of my creos is dying. It fell down and that isn't a good sign..... Think it was the lack of food too long. of the misting. I gave the poor thing some honey water. Maybe it helps to give strength to fight for its life. I do't think he ate some of the FF I gave yesterday. The freshly molted one is doing fine.

tried to mate Alana and Tarzan, but Tarzan climbed over her and away while Alana was eating her adult dubia. I will try in a couple of days again.

I think the surviving creo is a female. I would like some confirmation on that.

:


----------



## MantisGirl13

I'm so sorry about your creo! Yes, your remaining one is female. It's a shame you live so far away because my remaining creo is a male!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Thanks, I need to give her a name.  I am thinking about Xena. It is funny that the last segment is brown.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Her name is Xena. Too bad the other one died.

Ghosty was for 1 day lost. He was done mating I think and started wandering/flying. I was looking everywhere where he could be. (my desk) Alana is still on her place free on my desk.  But no Ghosty. And i just found him hours later again on the floor at the other side of my living room. I was so happy that i found him agin. I don't know if they have connected. But I will keep the ooths Spooky will lay.

Ghosty is safe in his cup again.

I made some pics on my camping trip too: Spooky is here enjoying the sun.







k.


----------



## Mantis Lady

My second couple of loves birds (mantids) are trying to mate: Alana and Tarzan. Alana don't  mind Tarzan on her back. She is full. she didn't eat much of the big dubia I gave her.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats!!!! Looks like a success!!!

(Love the mantis claw pic in the background lol)

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

nope was not a succes sadly enough. tarzan left the back of alana and i put him back in his home. didnt dare him to be un supervised alone with alana during the night. I had to sleep.

the claw in the background is of Cochise she was eating a grasshopper there.


----------



## MantisGirl13

The pic you showed looks like a connection. How long was Tarzan on Alana's back?

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Not long till he climbed off her back. I was thinking that  when i took the pic that they were connecting, but it didn't happen. sadly enough.

I think I will try again tomorrow. then I will be home all day. Hopefully it will work then.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Rytlock molted yesterday. he Looks beautiful. I need to take a pic where you can see his colors


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the molt!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tarzan and Alana are both free whole day today. But Tarzan did not try to get on Alana's back again. They are both keeping an eye on each other.

Tarzan grabbed 2 flies that are in my home: 1 he ate the other he nibbled on he can still grab 1 fly that is bugging me.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tarzan  was at Alanas back again. But i haven't seen a connection, Maybe they were connected during 1 of my naps. I dont know. today Tarzan showed no interest. I put him back.

Today 2 new addtions arrived: 2 L4 budwings They are in their new homes and are eating fruitflies. I will try to see what gender they are later. I wanted them so badly and my breeder had them so i gave myself 2 budwings. I hope they are male and female.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Here a pic of 1 of my budwings:






Rytlock. He turned out very handsome. I love his colors and his eyes has a redish glow in them. Cool.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Beauties!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> I wanted them so badly and my breeder had them so i gave myself 2 budwings.


Funny how this goes, hey? 

Beauties!


----------



## Mantis Lady

1 of my budwings molted. It had a good molt.

Is was nice weather today so i took the time to take some outside pics of the females. I wanted an outside pic of Rytlock too( love his eyes, makes him special)  but i didnt do it. Too afraid that he will fly away.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I was taking pics of Ghosty and I saw that he lost his tarsi at his frontleg (hook can replace it) and at hind leg. Poor guy is handicapped at his old age..






He still flies and climbs despite his missing "feet"


----------



## Mantis Lady

Hera molted last night and is grown a lot. She had a good molt

But I am a bit woried about Xena my creo. She has puked 2x since i gave a fruitflies. It doesnt smell, but is very messy. Had to clean her cup 2x too. she is on honey trwater treatment. she needs to get some fluids inside her.

And I need to get new fruitflies again, this culture is dying off. then i will buy fresh grasshoppers too


----------



## Mantis Lady

Tarzan died today. He lost a leg earlier where he had a wound on a joint on his leg. I found it on the bottom of his home. I thought that was strange and now the poor guy is dead. he was a curious mantis that I found sometimes on unsuspected places. like last time afer mating in my living room. I will miss the guy.






I hope he will live on in his offspring.....


----------



## hysteresis

Sorry @Little Mantis.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Sorry for your loss.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Good news!

Spooky gave me an ooth today! I am proud of my girl.

I don't know it is fertile, but will I keep itShe is a lot thinner now. It is my first ooth. I hope my other 2 girls are going to give me one too.


----------



## hysteresis

Lucky! I'll be looking for an ooth from mine soon.


----------



## MantisGirl13

Little Mantis said:


> Good news!
> 
> Spooky gave me an ooth today! I am proud of my girl.
> 
> I don't know it is fertile, but will I keep itShe is a lot thinner now. It is my first ooth. I hope my other 2 girls are going to give me one too.


Congratulations!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Ty  ,

I have taken the ooth out of Spookies cup and placed it on its own cup as Spooky has laid it. Need to put back a new popsicle stick for Spooky to lay on again. Now wait if it will give me babies in a couple of weeks. Spooky was hungry she ate  just at a baby grasshopper. she grabbed it out of my tweezers


----------



## Mantis Lady

Some bad news: Alana and Rytlock died sadly enough. Rytock I was lost for days. Last friday my dog found him. Hubby was at home and removed him and put him back on my desk. he was totally stressed. I gave him honey water so he got fluids in him. He seemed to recover at first, but the next day he was laying on his back  

Spooky didn't hunt after prey since her ooth, so I am a bit force feeding her so she get food inside her. This works. gladly enough. Putting goo on her mouth works. I hope she will give me more ooths and live long. Ayaweya stil didn't lay an ooth for me. Despite branches I put wih her. She is very cranky lately.

The little ones I have left are doing fine. Hera (spdromantis gastrica) molted yesterday and has grown a lot. Neferiti, 1 of the budwings molted too. She is the same size as Hercules again. 1 molt to go they don't need fruitflies anymore.






Hera hunting baby grasshoppers.


----------



## hysteresis

@Little Mantis Im happy for your molts, hopeful for your troubled ones, and sad about your losses. 

All we can do is keep trying!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Yup, we keep trying. the ones we lost we keep in our hearts I am happy with the 2 photo books I have. I never forget the mantids that died.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I lost Ayaweya. She never laid an ooth. Xena died because she couldn't keep water and food in her after her last molt. I will miss them.

Spooky laid a mini mini ooth because somehow she didn't had an appetite, but the last 2 days she grabs her food: mine! she eats gooed now, and hopefully she will lay a normal one for me.











Spooky laying her mini mini ooth. I replaced it with a fresh popsicle stick. I don't think there are eggs in it.


----------



## hysteresis

I love that name, Nefertiti. 

Sorry for you losses, but you still have cool things going on.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Today a I got a mini mini ooth of Spooky again. Think she wants something to eat again this evening.

Spooky is the last surving member of adults I had. I have 4 mantids left,  but they are doing well.

The 2 budwings and a h. membranacea, are all moved to bigger prey: babygrasshoppers  so no FF anymore


----------



## MantisGirl13

Keep spooky a bit cooler. If kept really warm, ghosts will produce small ooths every few days. If she’s kept a bit cooler, she should lay a large ooth once a week.

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

We had a heatwave last week and we don't have an airco. it was indeed hot at my place higest temp that I saw in my home was 29,5 at 1 am  when I went to bed. But gladly it is cooling now.  too hot for me and Spooky too. Spooky didn't lay anything today. So I hope I will get a normal ooth soon. She has a good appetite now.

At some places at my country it was even 40C  :blink: 

And Garona molted today. She had a good molt. I prefer molts now than during the long drive next week. Next week we go camping.


----------



## Mantis Lady

i had to say goodbye to Spooky on my first day of vacation. She is burried there.

I made some nice pics of them in my vacation  I  show later. I think they enjoyed the sun much. Garona and Nefertiti got both wild prey I caught.

it was a nice, lazy vacation with a lot of reading books and a lot of bbqs


----------



## hysteresis

@Little Mantis

Soooo sorry for Spooky. 

I knew you had said you'd be vacationing. Still missed you though, and wondered where youd gone! 

Welcome back!


----------



## Mantis Lady

ty, I was camping for 2 weeks, but back to normal life again.


----------



## MantisGirl13

I’m sorry about spooky! 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

She was the oldest mantis I had. I will miss her. I don't think her ooth will hatch. I would have loved to see her little babies. I took the ooth with me on vacation.


----------



## Mantis Lady

It is time to post some pics:  I have 2 mantids left and they are both doing fine.






Liyana my subadult  Sphodromantis lineola






Nefertiti is eating her dinner.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Liyana hunting her dinner. But now she won't eat. She needs to molt soon. She has very swollen wingbuds at the moment.






Nefertiti is very fat. I hope she will lay an ooth soon.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Some good news: Neferiti gave me an ooth today. Too bad it is an infertile ooth because she is not mated.  She wasn't eating for a few days. Her grasshopper was just sitting ther on one of the brances i put in there. But her ooth is big:







She is thin now. What is the best time for feeding her again? Tomorrow? I think she will be very very hungry.






Liyana molted to adulthood but her wings didn't dry very well. She has to live with it.






i was at the pet shop today for fresh grasshoppers and bird stuff for Cochise and I boufg myself a Polyspilota Aeruginnosa female. You can keep them at room temperature. I think she is a L5, but not sure. They couldn't tell me what instar she is. She is very jumpy  And curious. I named her Sheralynn.

Meet here my newest girl:


----------



## MantisGirl13

Congrats on the newbie! She's cute. Nefertiti laid a HUGE ooth compared to her body size. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady

Yeah, I didn't expect the ooth to be so big. It was really a surprise when I came home en seeing this ooth being made. I gave her a grasshopper this evening and it was devoured in no time  

She is like I know her: a bottomless pit


----------



## hysteresis

Wow. Like a BOMB. Congratulations!


----------



## Mantis Lady

Gladly it doesn't explode I think I should remove the ooth to make more room for a new one.


----------



## Mantis Lady

I removed the ooth.  she can lay a new one there. Thinking what to do with it. Maybe collecting in a jar or something, like the skins What are you doing with the unfertitized ooths?  I still have Spookies ooth too. Sadly enough it never hatched.


----------



## Mantis Lady

Nefertiti is very fat again and Liyanas abodemen is growing too. I hope they both will give me ooths    Little Sheralynn might molting soon. Her belly looks still full

When I was cleaning the dubia box I saw little dubia babies walking there. think I got 20-30 dubia babies. I never intended to breed them, but I think they mated during the heatwave. I hope they grow fast so i can feed them to Sheralynn. think they are still to small for Sheralynn to see them as food.


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## Mantis Lady

Sheralynn molted last night. I went to the WC and saw Sheralynn molting. She has grown a lot. She need to move to a bigger home soon. This one is too small now.






Nefertiti is ready again to lay an ooth  again, I hope. She is still eating like she is starving.






Liyana is eating well too. I hope she will give me a nice ooth too.


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## Mantis Lady

Nefertiti gave me last night a new piece of mantis art: she laid an second ooth for me: it is smaller than her first ooth.

I am hoping Liyana lays one soon too. She is very fat at the moment.


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## hysteresis

Little Mantis said:


> What are you doing with the unfertitized ooths?


I keep the unfertilized ooths for a bit - usually with the molts. Caleb usually grabs them, plays with them for a bit, leaving one under the couch, or another on a table. I just throw them out then. Truth be told, i don't see many unfertilized ooths anymore. If some don't hatch that should have, after a few months, I dissect to see what was going on inside.


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## Mantis Lady

I am thinking what to do with my ooths. Still have Spookies ooth too. For now I keep them.


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## Mantis Lady

Nefertiti is eating again:


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## MrGhostMantis

I just read this whole stream. This is really from a heartfelt mantis owner. My male ghost is taking forever to molt. His name is Casper. Once he molts he will mate my female Mandarin!


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## MantisGirl13

MrGhostMantis said:


> I just read this whole stream. This is really from a heartfelt mantis owner. My male ghost is taking forever to molt. His name is Casper. Once he molts he will mate my female Mandarin!


Keep him warmer and feed him more!

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis

MrGhostMantis said:


> I just read this whole stream. This is really from a heartfelt mantis owner. My male ghost is taking forever to molt. His name is Casper. Once he molts he will mate my female Mandarin!


Male sub to adult molt takes long. Just sit tight.


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## MrGhostMantis

I’ve been waiting nearly 2 months now! I’m worried my female will die of old age!


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## hysteresis

MrGhostMantis said:


> I’ve been waiting nearly 2 months now! I’m worried my female will die of old age!


Naaahhhh


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## Mantis Lady

Still waiting for my Liyana to lay her ooth. I hope she is not eggbound. But i am a bit worring about her. I don't want to loose her.


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## Mantis Lady

Liyana likes to explore. ze found a place to sit on the home of my hissing roaches. I hope she will somewhere lay an ooth. i dont care where. she only has to lay one. You can see her abdomen under her misformed wings. She is very fat. The hissers are safe in there.  She can't reach them.


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## Mantis Lady

Liyana never laid an ooth and now she is dying...  The sides of her abdomen are turning blackish. Is she rotting alive? I have to let her go..... poor girl....she was a good gentle mantis....


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## MrGhostMantis

Oh no! Poor baby! I hate the end of their lives...you know it's only a matter of time...


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## MantisGirl13

She'll be missed. 

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady

MrGhostMantis said:


> Oh no! Poor baby! I hate the end of their lives...you know it's only a matter of time...


They have too short lifes.

1 good thing happend too: Sheralynn molted and at this moment of writing this post, she is inflating her wings.


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## Mantis Lady

Pic of fresly molted Sheralynn.What was surprising me was her long wings. She is beautiful

I just buried Liyana in my garden. She has a nice resting place now.


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## MantisGirl13

Sheralynn is stunning! Congratulations!

- MantisGirl13


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## MrGhostMantis

Poor Liyana...

What species is Sheralynn? She is beautiful!


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## Mantis Lady

She is a Polyspilota Aeruginnosa. For sure this girl can fly with her long wings.


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## MrGhostMantis

She is beautiful! I’m hoping to try these guys soon. Any advice?


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## Mantis Lady

I bought her in the pet shop where i get my mantis food.

She get the same treatment like  h.menbranacea on room temperature. 21C

Here more info about this species: https://www.mantidsandmore.com/lexicon/polyspilota-aeruginosa-2/


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## Endorlado

Nice pet


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## Mantis Lady

After a couple of days Sheralynn  turned brown. but she is still beautiful.

Here she is climbing my desk christmas tree.


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## MrGhostMantis

Awww! Cute little baby!


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## Mantis Lady

Sheralynn isn't a very big eater. I put a grasshopper with her yesterday and it still lives. I don't think she will be that fat like Nefertiti. Nefteritie sees movement and grabs prey fast. Sheralynn not. Her shape of her abdomen is very slender like a male but she is really a female


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## MrGhostMantis

Yeah, Sheralynn's species aren't bottomless pits like Nefertiti.


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## Mantis Lady

Nope, I think she will be able to fly for the rest of her life. For a female she has long wings covering her butt.. I have put another grasshopper with her so she can hunt it when she gets hungry.

Nefertiti is fat again. I hope she will give me another piece of mantis art.(ooth)she is my oldest mantis i ever had. I am proud of her. I hope she stays a bit longer with me

i am thinking should i get a pair of ghosts or a pair of creoboters. I want a new bird too. dilemmas


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## MrGhostMantis

How old is Nefertiti? Dilemmas dilemmas...


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## Mantis Lady

I don't know excatly how old she is. But she gave me 2 ooths, so for me she is old. the bigger mantids were sadly enough eggbound and that eats a chunk out of their life spans


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## Endorlado

Nice pics


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## kurlyq101

Spooky is such an excellent M name


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