# Few pics



## GoglGourd (Feb 6, 2006)

hi I got my first two mantids a few weeks ago and am planning on breeding at some point when they're mature enough. As far as I know, one is a target mantis and the other an unknown philippine species, the philippine I think is female and the target is too young to tell. not great quality, sorry.. (kind) comments appreciated.







Took this one couple of days ago, in my boredom I decided to cut it out.






more or less the same image, not cut out, different angle.






this is of the same mantis before it's last shed, about a week ago, looks alot smaller and alot less green!






target mantis turned out huge and I cba shrinking, sorry!






..and again, not as big.

Well that's it for now, if i ever get round to breeding or increasing my collection i'll up some pics. I'm hoping to get a flower mantis or paraguay mantis but can't make up my mind which I should get.

Thanks,

Andrew


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## Rib (Feb 6, 2006)

you "target" mantis is in fact a sub-adult, and a female. She will have wings next shed

EDIT: Actually perhaps she is a L6 female (sub sub adult)


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## GoglGourd (Feb 6, 2006)

ooh, that's interesting  thanks v.much, i've currently got her on small crickets i pick from my gecko's supply, she only takes one every couple of days, is this ok or should I be feeding on something else or more/less frequently?


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## Exotic-Mantis (Feb 6, 2006)

Cool, nice mantids. Hmm the #9 flower mantis (you call it target) looks like it is subadult. It'll be really cool looking when it molts. As for your question, she could eat a cricket everyday, however flies, moths, and other pollinating insects are better to feed to flower mantids. Crickets can be used but make sure you're feeding them on GutLoad.

(PS- I dunno if you know but mantids cannot really be crossbred. I didn't know if you were planning on breeding those 2 nymphs, but if so, it can't be done, nothing would hatch.)

Thanks,

Eros


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## GoglGourd (Feb 6, 2006)

thanks for the message and no, i hadn't planned on cross breeding, the shop I bought my mantids from are constantly stocking these philippine mantids (or have been for the past year) so I'll just buy a male from there when the time is right.

I think i'll get a fruit fly culture, I'm wanting to get more mantids so it seems worth it!

I'm getting the feeling that the "#9 flower mantis" is not a "target", I got the name from the store I got them from:



> Target Mantids CB (Psuedocreobotra whalbergi)


Thanks for the comment!


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## Rick (Feb 7, 2006)

I am pretty sure the first one you have there is an African mantis.


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## Exotic-Mantis (Feb 7, 2006)

Yeah Rick- I didn't want to say because I wasn't 100% sure, but at mind, I thought it looked like a sphodromantis sp. (African)

Thanks,

Eros


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## Jesse (Feb 7, 2006)

The first one actually looks like a _Hierodula patellifera_ or closely related species, not a _Sphodromantis spp._


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## GoglGourd (Feb 7, 2006)

> Philippine Mantid CB (Species unknown). Nice mantids


That's what I was told, if these seems incorrect i'll inform the shop right away  thanks!


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## jandl2204 (Feb 7, 2006)

The first mantis in you pics is called Hierodula paviceps, it frequntly turns up on wholesale lists as philippine species.

The same occurs with most (if not all other species) which appear on wholesale lists.

but i assue you it is most likely Hierodula paviceps, i have approx 70+ behind me right now.

Pet shops refer to the wholesale lists when nameing the species you will find that common sphodomantis species will be called Sphodromantis sp even tho they have obvious differences.

I bought both Sphodromantis baccettii and Sphodromantis lineola nymphs from a local pet store some time ago, he named them as Sphodromantis sp also refering to them as African mantis, as the wholesaler list refers to them as such.

Regards,

Lee


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## GoglGourd (Feb 7, 2006)

just emailed the shop, he replied with:



> Thanks for letting me know, they were bought as a mantid from the Philippines from a large and well respected breeder in Germany. I'm not into mantids myself, but she said that the adults that produced them were from an undescribed species she had collected from the Philippines. Not trying to say that the breeders you have approached are wrong, but with this background info it might be that they just look very similar. Who knows?!!! Thanks for the info though!


I'll take your words for it, you clearly all know what you're talking about, thanks!


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## Rick (Feb 7, 2006)

> The first mantis in you pics is called Hierodula paviceps, it frequntly turns up on wholesale lists as philippine species.The same occurs with most (if not all other species) which appear on wholesale lists.
> 
> but i assue you it is most likely Hierodula paviceps, i have approx 70+ behind me right now.
> 
> ...


It looks just like the Africans I have sitting right here beside me as well. Guess we will see when it matures.


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## GoglGourd (Feb 7, 2006)

i'll be sure to post a pic of it


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