# If you could pick two favorite Mantis?



## angelofdeathzz (Apr 20, 2011)

I f you could only pick two different species of mantis to raise what would they be and a short (if possible) reason why?

Mine would be Idolomantis Diabolica --no suprise there  -- and then maybe budwings as I love their aggressive nature and cool large eyes, their ounce for ounce one mean machine.


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## kitkat39 (Apr 20, 2011)

I think I'd definitely have to agree with you there man! Those are the exact two that I would pick as well.

Idolomantis Diabolica - This is like the hottest girl in the club or the bar. The one that every single guy tries to throw cheesy pick up lines to, yet all of them will get rejected... To have her means everyone else will be jealous of you.. simply put! However, she DOES have her high maintenance that goes along with that beauty! She won't eat anything other than high class expensive food (things gotta fly before she even wants to eat it! Mine don't even attack FLIES until they start flying)

Budwing Mantis - This is like the cute/pretty tomboyish girl that you know that is willing to drink BEER and knock another person on their butt when everyone else has to have their fancy looking Martini inside a Martini glass! Budwings are not too small and not too big, however, females could handle food that much bigger mantids could handle! Their dead rate and mismolting problems are also extremely LOW. I seriously think I could raise every single one that hatched out of an ooth to adult if I simply focused on it.. even when I don't a very high number of them will still make it. I love that strong look that they've got, and also all of the COLORS that they do possess! Love the Animal print that they've got (The tiger stripes on their arms and legs) Although it does not have very many cryptic features to it, a simple poke to the head put on this incredible threat display that shows off even MORE colors that were hidden before! These are one of the most aggressive species of mantis that I've seen, taking on food as big or bigger than they are AND some are willing to leap at it from far away to grab it! I think that if I one day gave up on mantids.. the Budwing would be THEE species that I keep continuing with simply due to the ease of care, aggressiveness, and awesome features it's got.

Budwings for the win! =)

Deroplatys Lobata are also one of my faves, but mating them makes me want to kick someone's teeth out.


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## kitkat39 (Apr 20, 2011)

Here's another video showing how easy it is to piss them off! THEY HOLD GRUDGES TOO! LOL!!!


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## angelofdeathzz (Apr 20, 2011)

Kiet that was some awesome footage, the pounce on their pray is second to none.and that last video was some ticked off hate of your thumb. LOL


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## patrickfraser (Apr 20, 2011)

I have a really mean chinese sub adult female. She attacks like that. I named her Dragon Lady. I cant wait to see her throw some wing into it. LOL

Oh, I like them all, because they are mantids.


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## sporeworld (Apr 20, 2011)

Idolo (noted above) and probably Orchids. I think Orchids may be the most visually entertaining mantid L1-to adult. My staff always spend more time looking at them, and they're number one to hold.

I'm all Gongy at heart, but they're drab in color, which (sadly) knocks them out of the running. And once you've had an adult Idolo on your hand, ghosts (for all their greatness) just won't cut it. Epic size. Epic colors. Epic frame. And great personalities.

I'm hopeful that my next round of Thistle Mantids will be a new favorite... Fingers crossed.


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## weathmatth (Apr 20, 2011)

That last video made me chuckle :lol:


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## wyethia (Apr 20, 2011)

kitkat39 said:


> Here's another video showing how easy it is to piss them off! THEY HOLD GRUDGES TOO! LOL!!!


Bad thumb, BAD!

Those videos are great. Right now m little budwings are the most mellow of all the ones I got, I would doubt their reputation if it weren't for their aerobatics when I move things around their enclosure and they jump down.

I'll refrain from picking favorites until I have some adults  

Wyethia


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## animalexplorer (Apr 20, 2011)

I can't just pick 2 it's got to be 3 for me. It would be Diabolica, Coronatus, and Wahlbergii. Because they are elaborately and excessively decorated ornately with incredible colors and markings.

The budwings definitely have some great character too them. I've been spending a great deal of time watching these cute little buggers from L1 and they are cute they act like kittens caught in play mode. The Video posted here is fantastic showing a bit of the toughness that species displays if nessessary. The bud's has it out for the thumb!


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## Krissim Klaw (Apr 20, 2011)

I've always been fond of the Chinese Mantids. Plan Jane they might be considered in the hobby, but I enjoy the stereotypical mantis build, the large size, and fierce hunters they make. I also think they can look very stunning and love the brilliant green eyes they so often get. I also love this species activity level. I have a large custom built screen cage and always found it amusing how the Chinese would walk back and forth across the top literally following me about whenever I was moving about in that section of my room. This is the species that first got me into mantises. Even the wild adults I have caught have always been confident sweethearts when it comes to handling. :wub: 

My other new love is the Euchomonella macrops. I consider them the best kept secret of the mantis world. They are very similar to the Chinese in temperament only they are just about as sweet as you can get. I've never once seen one of these throw off a threat pose. They are little darlings. The females get the cutest tiniest nub wings. They are slightly less active then the Chinese so it is easier to keep an eye on them when they are out. Mine often spend the day perched on a plant on my desk. Speaking of which, that is another plus, they will actually use the sticks and plants you add to your cages at times. Not like the Chinese who will loudly scoff at any attempts at decorating and then hop up on the screen. Finally I also enjoy the longer life expectancy with this species. I love the Chinese mantids but they tend to have one of the shorter life cycles.

One of these days I am going to have to try an Idolo but to be honest they have to be one of my least favorite mantises in terms of looks... *Ducks behind a corner before she gets stoned to death by all the Idolo fangirls on the board.


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## GreenOasis (Apr 20, 2011)

I will only allude to the species I have personally kept. I believe Idolos are beautiful, but I can't speak to their personality.

#1 for me is definitely going to be Shields. They are aggressive with their prey, but absolute darlings to handle. I have yet to tick one off enough to flare up for me, but then, I haven't really tried either! They are also easy to breed...my male has survived breeding both females and is still alive more than two months later. The only bad thing is that the younger Shields seem to be prone to mismolts unless humidity is kept fairly high. They are a thirsty bunch on the same level as the Chinese.

#2 on my favs list is the Violins. While I have yet to behold an adult, I have full confidence that I will still love them then. They are communal, which is a big bonus for me, and they have a very elegant look to them. I consider them the "Executive Desk Pet" of the mantis world, as I could just see the practical CEO of a big corporation with a tank full of Violins, instead of expensive/fragile saltwater fish. I have yet to have one mismolt on me and I have yet to attempt breeding them, but so far, they are just way out cool.

Now, I will give you what I know to be my husband's top two, since I just know him that well:  

#1 - Idolomantis Diabolica - It's the "cool" factor. The only "flower" mantis that a manly man should ever consider owning.  He doesn't know much more about them except the molting problem, and he's confident that he can create an ideal setup to prevent that problem.

#2 - Ghosts - Yes, they are small, but they are just too friggin' awesome! He likes that they have that bizarre alien look to them, yet they are as simple as all get-out to care for, breed &amp; hatch a new generation. They'll also eat anything they can grab...awesome!

Honorable mention: Hubby is also enthralled with the idea of getting Megas...though, I'm not sure why, except for the fact that they just seem to be so hard to obtain. (We both have Nordstrom's tastes on a K-mart budget!)  Find a one-of-a-kind muscle car or motorcycle, and he'll probably want that, too! Of course, so would I!


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## Marianna (Apr 20, 2011)

Maybe because it's the only one I've ever known personally .... but the Chinese Mantid has my loyalty right now. Through many challenges, he has kept going - crippled, unable to hunt, and putting up with my lack of experience!!! And besides that, I think he likes me.  

I'm with Krissim Klaw on the Chinese.


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## macawlover2 (Apr 20, 2011)

I would have to say my favorite would be the ghosts. I'm pretty new to the hobby, so I don't know of many species out there... But those ghosts are just so cool looking! They'll definitely be the next mantis I buy. I could raise an entire ooth of them!  

Second would probably be the Idolomantis Diabolica. They're gorgeous mantids! It was between them and the orchids, but for some reason my mind autoatically thinks of orchids as being really fragile, probably steering me away from picking them as my second favorite mantis.

kitkat, your last video was awesome! I love it! What an angry mantis, trying to be all scary and stuff  I can just see him/her saying "Take that! I just grabbed your thumb! Be scared! Gahhh! "


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## sporeworld (Apr 20, 2011)

macawlover2 said:


> ...for some reason my mind autoatically thinks of orchids as being really fragile, probably steering me away from picking them as my second favorite mantis.


If you get a chance, or see a deal, get an Orchid. Not fragile at all, really agressive and more captivating to watch than even Idolo (IMO). Also, in my opinion, THE most attractive nymphs.

I'd also like to boost up Chinese (adult Female) to distant 3rd. Full wings, agression, huge in size and pretty darn good flyers.


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## warpdrive (Apr 20, 2011)

if I had to name just two it would be Ghosts and Orchids.

my ghosts have been a great starter mantid for me to learn with. sadly, my females have been so nice, but my first adult male hates them and killed off my first two adult females.

waiting for my last male and female to reach adulthood.

with that said, I just love them. plenty of colors and loads of fun to have make them my top favorite.

now who doesn't love Orchids. sadly I still think that I have all females. lets hope that I'm wrong.

they are all great eaters. they have been eatting houseflys since L2 and once they hit L4 I'll bet that they will tackle bluebottles.

I'm going to add a 3rd because I can't stop at just two.

D. Lobata are my true number two favorite as they are just a pleasure to have. sure, mine are defective in that they never play dead...lol

but who cares. they eat anything. have not gone crazy and eatten each other like I've been warned about. (I keep 10 of them in a 12" net cage.) they don't seem to like hights as much as others. in fact I had one molt to L4 or L5 last night and it's head was too close to the bottom, regardless that he had plenty of places to molt above the bottom 3rd of the cage.

yes, I know that I'm going to pull the last of my hair out once I start to try breeding them, but they are fun for now. you would not think that a mix of L3-L5 would get along so well right now, but they do...yet BB flys have plenty to fear from them.

Harry


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## guapoalto049 (Apr 20, 2011)

I'd have to say shields #1. They are large, very stock, super aggressive, and seem to enjoy being handled. I really don't know if there is a stronger mantis, between its foreleg strength and its tarsal grip.

#2 may be orchids. Unfortunately I haven't kept any yet, but their beauty is top notch.

I didn't choose Idolos simply because of their clumsiness. They would be an instant #1 if they were more aggressive and coordinated. Sometimes I feel that they are like an uncoordinated teenager who isn't used to being so tall. Also, imo what's good about being big if you don't eat something big?

Ghosts are neat but subadult females take really long to grow and don't eat much.

Budwings are cool but give 'em steroids and its basically a shield.

Chinese and violins are also cool, but they can be pretty skittish sometimes, like never-ending walking around in the cage/your hand.


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## lancaster1313 (Apr 20, 2011)

I don't think that I could choose 2 favorites. I have only kept Chinese and Carolinas, but like the idea of something a little more aggressive, like the Budwings.  I like looking at photos and videos of the fancier species of mantids, and will probably try them out one day, but I really prefer that classic "Praying mantis" look.


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## MantidLord (Apr 20, 2011)

My two favorites: Tenodera sinensis and Litanuetria minor.

The chinese were described above, absolutely large and aggressive.

L. minor, they're small but really aggressive. I love the way they run towards their prey on an instant. The fact that they stay near the ground reminds me of lizards. The only downfall is getting them passed the L1 stage and maybe L2 stage requires springtails. Other than that, easy to breed and fun to watch. And the coloration and patterns...brilliant.

My two dream mantids: The aforementioned budwing and the wide arm (Cilnia humeralis). I see them both as the top two most aggressive species of mantis, so I gotta have them.

Quick question, are there two species of budwing? If so, what's in the hobby and what's the difference?


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## macawlover2 (Apr 20, 2011)

Thanks for the info, sporeworld! I didn't know they were such good eaters, I may have to try and get some... after my future ghosts, most likely


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## angelofdeathzz (Apr 20, 2011)

Well I didn't expect a response like this, but what this does do is give everyone a chance to hear about a cool mantis they didn't even know they might like.

And I think your ALL right in your picks!!! But now I really want a Orchid or ten. LOL

And I can't believe nobody picked Gongy??? well accept Spore and that was half heartedly


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## PhilinYuma (Apr 20, 2011)

Oh dear! IML8, IML8! Can I still have a go?

O.K. first the thistle mantis (don't call it a devil's whatsit, which was made up by an entrepreneur to make it sell), Blepharopsis mendica. It is the most understatedly beautiful of all the empusids, and who couldn't love a mantis whose name means "eyelid appearing beggar"?

Secondly I'd chose five different colored ghosts and when I go to bed I'll have a timer light so that I can watch them dancing until I go to sleep and then the light will go out Either that, or I could start going to bed at sunset.

Thank you. Can we do racing cars next?


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## GreenOasis (Apr 20, 2011)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Well I didn't expect a response like this, but what this does do is give everyone a chance to hear about a cool mantis they didn't even know they might like.
> 
> And I think your ALL right in your picks!!! But now I really want a Orchid or ten. LOL
> 
> And I can't believe nobody picked Gongy??? well accept Spore and that was half heartedly


Umm...HELLO? *I* picked Gongy as #2! (Violin = Gongy) :blink:


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## sporeworld (Apr 21, 2011)

Go, Go, Gongy!

I'd love to get a colony of Empusa pennata and see how they compare.


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## angelofdeathzz (Apr 21, 2011)

GreenOasis said:


> Umm...HELLO? *I* picked Gongy as #2! (Violin = Gongy) :blink:


Well thats what I get for getting home late from work and speed reading through some,,, sorry Carey!


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## xbonny (Apr 21, 2011)

Firstly Idolomantis, they are so amazing. Then Blepharopsis mendica, one of my favourite mantis ever.

The other that I haven't written I allready have them :lol:


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## hibiscusmile (Apr 21, 2011)

hum mm, I am late as always, I think I am the original Rabbit in Alice in wonderland!

It is hard to say a fav, I do like the budwing and thumb, she hates your thumb :lol: 

I had the clinias and they were great, b ut been a couple years now, so let's see....

My fav is the macrops and ghost I guess, I also love the medinca, violin, chinese, acanthrops and the multicolor! Oh so hard to choose., but yea, macrops and ghost.

Macrops are sweet and easy to get along with, ghost are the busiest mantis I know.

Now, the ones I don't like, are the idolos and the orchids are boring. Pretty, but boring. I find the idolos a bit lame, seems they don't have much sense, but that may be cause they are out of their environment, so that could have an effect on them.


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## silkids (Apr 21, 2011)

Nothing takes my breath away more than the Deroplatys (lobata and desiccata) because of their size, coloration, and unusual feeding behavior. The fact that they can potentially be housed together peacefully especially as nymphs is a plus in my book.

Actually, I enjoy all the dead leaf family of mantises for their beauty, incredible appetites, and ease of care.

The second group that I find captivating is the Heterochaetas. They're fascinating due to their size, hearty appetites, and variations in threat positions with their raptorial forearms. Upon close inspection, they're quite colorful and are another communal group where several can be housed in a large cage without cannibalism kicking in if they are supplied with enough feeders &amp; foliage. They're also an extremely photogenic group with a macro lens.


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## hibiscusmile (Apr 21, 2011)

Got to agree with both your choices, I especially love the looks of the hets', but the dead leafs are really boring as mantis to me, but I do love their looks, especially when u look at them and they have holes in their wings and sheilds, who but God made them to look like a dried up old dead leaf?


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## PhilinYuma (Apr 21, 2011)

hibiscusmile said:


> Got to agree with both your choices, I especially love the looks of the hets', but the dead leafs are really boring as mantis to me, but I do love their looks, especially when u look at them and they have holes in their wings and sheilds, *who but God made them to look like a dried up old dead leaf? *


Darwin?  :lol:

Edit: Why did I only get one smiley?


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## angelofdeathzz (Apr 21, 2011)

You didn't put a space between them    ,Oh boy I knew something Phil didn't, do I feel smart now! (Ha-ha)


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## PhilinYuma (Apr 21, 2011)

angelofdeathzz said:


> You didn't put a space between them    ,Oh boy I knew something Phil didn't, do I feel smart now! (Ha-ha)


Well thank you, AofD! Until I read this, the most interesting thing I had learned today was that Truman never said in his "Truman Doctrine" speech to Congress, just how much of the $400,000,000 he was sending to Greece and how much of that was military aid (not much so far as I can tell). Your information was much more useful!   :lol:


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## hibiscusmile (Apr 22, 2011)

don't know why I didn't get to tell him that! I could feel superior too! :angry:


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## Mr.Mantid (Apr 22, 2011)

If I had the money I would raise Orchid mantids. Not sure on the second one yet, its a tie between B. Mendica, O. Zebrata, and Peruvian Shield Mantis.


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## MantidLord (Apr 24, 2011)

I'd like to also add another "plain" mantis that hasn't been brought up lately. Mantis religiosa. The eyespots are captivating, I love them.


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## guapoalto049 (Apr 25, 2011)

MantidLord said:


> I'd like to also add another "plain" mantis that hasn't been brought up lately. Mantis religiosa. The eyespots are captivating, I love them.


Good call, that's one you rarely see in culture or captivity. Luckily I've got a field next to my house where they are plentiful. They really are a great mantis.


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## dgerndt (Apr 25, 2011)

Oh, jeez, this is a hard one... As I'm still new to this hobby, I've only kept six different species, and only two species as adults. But from those, I have to say these are my favorites:

1. Chinese gets the gold. They're some of the only species that live in my area, and if it wasn't for my sister finding one outside of her work, I would've never gotten into keeping these amazing insects. I love that they're big and they eat pretty much anything. I love how active they are, always crawling around their enclosures and begging to get let out. They are also very observant and expressive. It seems like you can tell what they're thinking when they look at you. I also like how they hop around when they're nymphs. Mine will even do back-flips from one hand to another. They're also a very beautiful species. At first glance, they may look dull and boring, with just one solid color and a green wing stripe. But when you look closely, you can see all the beauty they're hiding. There are shades of burnt orange and pinkish-grey against a canvas of cream on their abdomens. Then they have blues and reds and even yellow between their forearms. They can have green, blue, or brown eyes. And I just LOVE those little vertical face stripes!

2. Ghosts are a close second. I just absolutely love how they wiggle and dance around! I catch them dancing at each other, as if they're having a dance off. And they always sway and dance when they catch some food. It's so cute! But they're also aggressive eaters, chasing down their next meal. Watching, stalking, and finally striking with amazing accuracy. Even though they're such good eaters, they are still a communal species, which is a giant plus. They come in a huge variety of colors, and they each have slightly different leafy lobes. They love to come out of their enclosure and just hang out with you. One of mine actually sat on my arm as I ate breakfast a few days ago. They like to interact with mantids in nearby enclosures, but they never seem to look at them as food. They're small, but that only means I don't have to buy huge gross crickets for them to eat. And their camouflage never ceases to amaze me.

The honorable mention goes to the Gongy. They're beautiful gentle giants. They wiggle back and forth in such a silly-looking but cute fashion. They're big, which is nice because it's easier to see the finer details. I love the curly antennae that the females have, and how they all stick their little butts in the air. They just look like royalty of the mantis world. But they don't quite make it to the top two because they're not as easy to take care of. They only like flying food, and they won't even hand-feed. &lt;_&lt; You have to keep them warmer than room temperature and still keep the humidity at the right level, which can be difficult. Their limbs are so long and fragile that it's hard to hold them. They have trouble walking around on human hands. This may not apply to all Gongys, but mine is also very shy. She doesn't really like being held and she's not very active. That's a big downside for me because I really like holding my mantids. But don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Gongy! She's the sweetest girl! That's why this species makes it to the honorable mention.

WHEW! Sorry for the huge post.


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## sporeworld (Apr 25, 2011)

Deby said:


> The honorable mention goes to the Gongy...


Just a few notes from someone who's had countless (cuz I didn't count them) Gongys. And the species personal PR agent.

They WILL eat from your hand with some practice (or tweezers). After that, you CAN feed them crickets and mealworms, etc. But they seem healthier with flies, and certainly prefer them (and moths).

And while they DO like it a little hotter (or a lot hotter), the humidity seems almost irrelevant. In your enclosure (terrarium, I think), daily spritzing should be enough. And you've only got the one (I think), so just wait to spray when they stop eatting.

And Gongys are great with people, after some acclimation. Just open the top and let them explore a little. When they can't figure out how to get off the top themselves, offer a hand (literally). Pretty soon, they'll gladly accept a walk around.

And they just aren't capable of the kind of scurry you see from other species, and they really seem to enjoy exploring (they ARE called WANDERING Violins).


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## MantidLord (Apr 25, 2011)

guapoalto049 said:


> Good call, that's one you rarely see in culture or captivity. Luckily I've got a field next to my house where they are plentiful. They really are a great mantis.


When I go to California, I usually find some but I only attempted to breed them once. They bred, laid ooths, but they never hatched. Have you ever had success?


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## dgerndt (Apr 25, 2011)

Well I guess I'll try letting her explore on her own. Maybe she'll warm up to me a bit.


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## guapoalto049 (Apr 25, 2011)

MantidLord said:


> When I go to California, I usually find some but I only attempted to breed them once. They bred, laid ooths, but they never hatched. Have you ever had success?


I've never actually tried to breed them. I just let them do their thing in the field and I always end up seeing plenty of adults. Maybe I'll take a crack at em this year.


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## angelofdeathzz (Apr 29, 2011)

Well it looks like the winners are: Blepharopsis mendica, Orchid, and my favorite Idolomantis Diabolica. "Tell'em what they won Bob, a new car! " Ha-ha

Thanks for all your input on some cool Mantis.


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## dgerndt (Apr 30, 2011)

You're very welcome, good sir. :lol: I was glad to see this post. I like to read about other species. It helps to give me an idea of what I want to try out next...


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## sporeworld (Apr 30, 2011)

I'm really pleased to see Blepharopsis mendica on that list. They just weren't on my radar until a few months ago. So much to look forward to...


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## hibiscusmile (Apr 30, 2011)

I'm agree with the post for the chinese, they are really regal looking mantis, so straight and beautiful!


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## dgerndt (May 2, 2011)

I'll have to get myself a Blepharopsis mendica someday. They're so pretty!


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## ismart (May 2, 2011)

I would have to go with wide-arms for there sheer aggressiveness, and strength! Orchids for there beauty, and strike speed!


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## Ricardo (May 16, 2011)

For me it's going to be. . . .

Chinese , Violins and Idolo's.

3rd : Chinese for their classic design and large build, ( Plus their ability to take down lizards, birds and mice ) and they aren't bad look'n either. Healthy hardy species that always wins me over.

2nd.) Idolomantis Diabolica. Though I've never had them I am OBSESSED with this species. in my opinion best looking and a fantastic size.

1st.) Violin mantis .

Never have I known a more gentle sweet species then gongy's. My Susie is just a doll. Loves being hand fed and will eat crickets like there's no tomorrow. Molts beautifully. the opposite of what I expected.

She's so friendly and elegant as well. she has a heart of gold and a soft elegant look about her. Violins are number 1 for me. ( The males are to die for to )


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