# Wild S. limbata mating with my Euro?



## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 21, 2012)

Hi everyone,

I'm a little freaked out right now.... You see, I put my female European mantis (Mantis Religiosa) on a tree outside about 2 1/2 weeks ago, because I trust her not to go anywhere and even if she did, she's a wild caught. About a week ago, I noticed she was releasing pheromones and last night when I was bringing the dog out to go potty I saw there was a praying mantis mating with her. This morning, they were still together so I looked and discovered that the male was a Stagmomantis limbata! Now I'm absolutely sure my female is a European mantid, she has the black and white bull's eye marking inside her arms, the correct head shape, long wings, etc. I'm also sure that the male is a S. Limbata. I pulled up his wing to look at his underwing and everything. They're not actually connected, he just has a hold of her like maybe they were and they just stopped. Could the male be confused? What's happening?

Thanks,

Wolfie


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## agent A (Sep 21, 2012)

sometimes this happens

maybe there was a female stagmo in the tree that the religiosa ate


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## brancsikia339 (Sep 21, 2012)

Wow!!! recatch them! Hybrid maybe?


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## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 21, 2012)

Actually, I noticed the male in the tree day before yesterday, then yesterday he was gone and I assumed she ate him, but then he came back so who knows. I doubt it will be a hybrid because they're two totally different genuses that wouldn't naturally occur together in the wild. I'll recatch her. Should I remove him from her if he doesn't leave?


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## Ntsees (Sep 21, 2012)

One thing to note is that just because a male is on the back of a female does not mean they have mated. As you've said, they did not connect because the male is unable to (like a wrong key to a lock). Go ahead and remove the male if you don't want him to be eaten. I'm surprised the religiosa allowed the limbata to mount her. When _Iris oratoria_ males gently mounts a female religiosa, the female usually goes beserk as if something attacked her.


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## brancsikia339 (Sep 21, 2012)

If they're connected let them mate. A hybrid is unlikely but possible!!!


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## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 21, 2012)

They're not connected, so I'll leave them for a while but when I get to it I'll seperate them


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## Extrememantid (Sep 22, 2012)

If it happens I def want some nymphs!


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## Rick (Sep 22, 2012)

If they could interbreed successfully you would find some sort of hybrids where their ranges overlap. There is a reason you don't. What happened is not unusual. I have found Tenodera females in the wild with two or three S. carolina males on their backs. Wish I had a picture.


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## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 22, 2012)

Yeah, I'll remove him when I get a chance. She doesn't seem to be hurting him, so...


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## brancsikia339 (Sep 22, 2012)

Just let it happen. If it does, it does. If it doesn't, it doesn't


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## alan2296 (Sep 22, 2012)

Extrememantid said:


> If it happens I def want some nymphs!


me too!! very interesting........ i wonder what the offspring will look like.


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## MantidLord (Sep 22, 2012)

Hi, can you catch a male limbata for me? My female has been an adult for about 2 weeks now and I really want to breed her.


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## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 22, 2012)

Sorry, my mom won't let me send mantids to anyone  Internet safety.......

Well, they're connected now, so I'll recatch her just to humor you guys


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## agent A (Sep 22, 2012)

WolfPuppy said:


> Sorry, my mom won't let me send mantids to anyone  Internet safety.......


do it covertly


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## brancsikia339 (Sep 22, 2012)

YAYAYAYAYAY!! Hybrid maybe! (to the tune of call me maybe)


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## agent A (Sep 22, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> YAYAYAYAYAY!! Hybrid maybe! (to the tune of call me maybe)


hey i just bred u

this is crazy

you're different species

so hybrid maybe!!


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## brancsikia339 (Sep 22, 2012)

agent A said:


> hey i just bred u
> 
> this is crazy
> 
> ...


YESS! YES YES YES

But anyway good luck with them!!


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## Rick (Sep 22, 2012)

Pics of the connection? I wouldn't think these two species could actually connect.


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## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 22, 2012)

I will if they still are tomorrow morning. It's dark now. I doubt anything will come of it, but...


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## MandellaMandy123 (Sep 22, 2012)

Update: I was going to go out and take a picture with the flash, but he was gone! It's like he totally thought she was a limbata and when he was done he flew away. Just because they appeared to be connected doesn't mean anything will happened, so I'm not getting my hopes up.......


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