# Orchid Mantis Mating Sequence



## padkison (Jun 2, 2007)




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## robo mantis (Jun 2, 2007)

Nice congrats


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## Rick (Jun 2, 2007)

Yep. Didn't your female just mature?


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## OGIGA (Jun 2, 2007)

Nice! I don't know if my male is shy or something, but I had to PUT him on the female's back.


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## Rick (Jun 2, 2007)

> Nice! I don't know if my male is shy or something, but I had to PUT him on the female's back.


I did that too everytime.


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## Asa (Jun 2, 2007)

My males are strangely aggressive. :? Maybe they're really females. :shock: Eww.


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## OGIGA (Jun 2, 2007)

Just wondering, padkison, did you see the abdomens connect? And did it look easy?


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## jplelito (Jun 2, 2007)

Sometimes, never done this with orchid mantids, mind you, but right after a female matures, for the first few days, they are often strangely unaggressive - I've had some luck mating budwings and others this way, since once they are older they almost always kill their mates no matter how much you feed them!


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## jplelito (Jun 2, 2007)

Oh, also - sorry I didn't add this to the post above - Cesar Gemeno has shown pretty conclusively that male _Mantis religiosa_ will go after a female much quicker if you feed her in such a way that he can see she is eating - they jump right on as soon as the female grabs the prey. Apparently they can tell that motion from others, since random female movements don't interest them.

I find the same thing and since Perry's orchid female is eating, that could be exactly what happened. Either way, regardless of female age, I always feed them in the presence of the male, it helps.


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## OGIGA (Jun 3, 2007)

> Sometimes, never done this with orchid mantids, mind you, but right after a female matures, for the first few days, they are often strangely unaggressive - I've had some luck mating budwings and others this way, since once they are older they almost always kill their mates no matter how much you feed them!


My orchid female became REALLY aggressive today (while still mating). She kept trying to attack my hand each time I put it near. I bought a feeder gold fish for her and she ate most of it when I'm not home. After I got home, the male is already off of her.


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## yen_saw (Jun 4, 2007)

Nice pics Perry, you are very daring, the female looks hungry, and her ab. is thin enough to store another 6-7 adult male orchid!! I guess that was too good of an opportunity for the male to miss...... lucky he is a captive bred species!!


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## Asa (Jun 4, 2007)

I've never had a fatality with mating yet.


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## Kriss (Jun 15, 2007)

I have 4 orchids at the moment.

2 female Sub-adults (just) and 2 males. One male molted to adult today and the other I don't think is far behind.

I have my fingers crossed that it doesn't take long for one of the females to mature to adult and I can attempt to mate this species for the first time. If the females take too long I might get impatient and be on the hunt for another Adult female to pair him with in 4-5 weeks.

I beleive this is a difficulty with this species, that the males mature alot faster than the females and the males have a shorter life expetancy once adult.

I will have to try placing the male on the females back if they don't readily couple up by the sound of it.


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## sk8erkho (Jun 15, 2007)

So, guys!!?? Exactly how many molts do they have to survive before you can begin thinking about mating your orchids???


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## bluebman52 (Jun 16, 2007)

They have to be mature, with a full set of wings. I think usually about 7 or 8 molts.


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