# mantis playing dead



## macro junkie (Dec 26, 2007)

it was dead..well i kew this species likes to trick people but he tricked me today.in the back of my head i knew he was playing dead but i coulnt help wondering "man hes looking so dead im getting worried"then after about 30 seconds he jumped up..lol.he was in the plastic cup..playing dead after being scared by a cricket.i tiped him out of the cup and he still was playing dead...then he jumped up.very easy to scare this species..1 thing thats going to be good..and thats getting a threat pose.should be pretty easy with these,.


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## spawn (Dec 26, 2007)

I am jealous. I have to see this happen in person or maybe I'm just daft and forgetful. Is it species-specific behaviour?


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## macro junkie (Dec 26, 2007)

spawn said:


> I am jealous. I have to see this happen in person or maybe I'm just daft and forgetful. Is it species-specific behaviour?


this ones called Pseudempusa pinnapavonis and so i been told its known to do this and when it has wings easy to get them to pose..im breeding them.if all works out il send u an ooth if u like after i sent manida one..i can never get her name right..lol if im honest i dont like this species..i doubt il be breeding them in the future..im going to breed em once get a few oooths and that wil be it..there very hard to get close to..go to my flick account and look at my pic gallery on mantids..your see 100s in each speices but this one i have like 10 pics..lol...really hard to shoot.a pain in my ######


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## tier (Dec 26, 2007)

Hi

Yes, it is species-specific. I know Deroplatys desiccata and lobata doing it, as well as Phyllocrania, Pseudempusa, Gongylus and I've seen Rhombodera doing it once.

I think Deroplatys does it most often.

But I've never seen an adult female doing it. Only larvae or adult males.

I do not want to know how many Phyllocrania where put in WC or the trash-can because the owner thought it is dead because of fear. There are horrible stories like "I had to freeze my Phyllocrania because it died because it was afraid of my hand and had too much stress". My advice is: Better wait for 5 minutes  before you freeze it 

regards,

tier


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## Mantida (Dec 26, 2007)

Haha, my O. scudderi does this too. She'll even lay there for fifteen minutes if she isn't disturbed.


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## pedro92 (Dec 26, 2007)

Are you going to have the ooths for sale, giveaway, or keeping. I would be interested in one or two of them. please pm me for info.


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## macro junkie (Dec 26, 2007)

Chameleonare said:


> Are you going to have the ooths for sale, giveaway, or keeping. I would be interested in one or two of them. please pm me for info.


il be selling them..there not adult yet..soon as its sorted and if al goes well and i get ooths il let u know.theres a few people breeding these in uk....mine wil be ready in couple months.


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## macro junkie (Dec 26, 2007)

mantida said:


> Haha, my O. scudderi does this too. She'll even lay there for fifteen minutes if she isn't disturbed.


u got a flick acount?i didnt know that?can u pm me the gallery link


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## tier (Dec 26, 2007)

Hi

I do not have a picture of a mantis playing dead, but some older ones of Pseudempusa pinnapavonis. I do not have this species in stock anymore - sold the last pairs to somebody some month ago...

mating pair (sorry if there is commercial spam, you can close the window in the upper right corner like you can close all windows, but the pictures are too old, I do not have them in my flickr.account  )

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/1ff4-1b-jpg.html

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/1ff4-1d-jpg.html

ootheca (almost as big as an Idolomantis ootheca!):

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/1ff4-1m-jpg.html

And fresh L1-nymphs:

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/1ff4-1u-jpg.html

And here are 1.2 subsubadult larvae:

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/1ff4-2x-jpg.html

Best regards


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## yen_saw (Dec 26, 2007)

Funny pic guys :lol: 

i have one too, this is my adult orchid male playing dead. Yeah sure, niced try


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## idolomantis (Dec 26, 2007)

yen_saw said:


> Funny pic guys :lol: i have one too, this is my adult orchid male playing dead. Yeah sure, niced try


why he did that? did you scare him or somethingt


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## idolomantis (Dec 26, 2007)

i have a phasmid spieces who do this.. they can play death 4 hours -.-


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## macro junkie (Dec 26, 2007)

tier said:


> HiI do not have a picture of a mantis playing dead, but some older ones of Pseudempusa pinnapavonis. I do not have this species in stock anymore - sold the last pairs to somebody some month ago...
> 
> mating pair (sorry if there is commercial spam, you can close the window in the upper right corner like you can close all windows, but the pictures are too old, I do not have them in my flickr.account  )
> 
> Best regards


u dont need flicka ocunt to post em..all u need to do is go to properties on the pics copy and paste it to the image button


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## swoosh (Feb 1, 2008)

Haha nice shot.


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## yen_saw (Feb 2, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> why he did that? did you scare him or somethingt


Oh it was just a defensive way for many mantis when threaten, although my appearance was good enough to scare him


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## Pelle (Feb 2, 2008)

I saw it by _Acromantis formosana_ and _Ambivia undata_


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## jarek (Feb 2, 2008)

it's funny when they do that


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## Gruby626 (Feb 2, 2008)

My Oxypilus distinctus also tries that on me  , but I don't have any photo yet :/


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## Mantida (Feb 2, 2008)

Hehe.


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## idolomantis (Feb 2, 2008)

uhm its not a mantis but it is the only pic i have







gna gna


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## hibiscusmile (Feb 2, 2008)

:lol: they are something, I have seen a lot of them do that, always cracks me up too. I play dead every once in a while too! Mom, mom, Rebecca, honey, gramma, yea every now and then!


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## Gruby626 (Feb 3, 2008)

Mantida said:


> Hehe.


mine are the same


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