# Found another wild Mantis last night, but maybe it found me.



## Butterfly (Nov 1, 2006)

So I was just stepping outside and heard a leaf hit the ground ahead of me, I looked down and right there in front of my feet was a nice sized green Mantid. I rescued it and took it inside, Im amazed it was alive it was SO cold here last night, 40 or 50 degrees according to my friend. He / She probably wouldnt have lasted the night if I handt found it, it was pretty slow moving until she got inside and warmed up. It has a very large head and is almost tear drop shaped at the short rear end, only 5/6 segments on it. I fed it a moth and plan on getting it some crickets tonight. I was just glad to have found something for it to eat right away.

I think it may be a Stagmomantis limbata, but will upload a picture this weekend along with one of the other mantis I found last week.

My Mantis collection just keeps growing and growing, and I havent bought a single one!! My mom says now they just know me and wait to be found by me, and since its getting cold they figure life in a house doesnt sound bad afterall, Especially with all the free crickets and flying bugs they can eat.


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## xenuwantsyou (Nov 1, 2006)

I've had so many mantis stalking experiences I've lost count. One especially wierd one was when I went to my work, which is in a shopping area, and there was one on the door of my store.


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## Butterfly (Nov 3, 2006)

I bought her some crickets last night and she wouldnt eat. So, I put her in the crickets cage and within 5 minutes she caught a big one.

I tried the same thing with the little guy I caught a couple weeks ago because he wouldnt have anything to do with the mini crickets. He didnt look like he'd eaten this morning so I left him in there today. Ill remove him tonight.

But if he doesnt eat what should I do? I cant get any live fruit fllies all I can find are cultures and I dont think Id have the time to get them big enough.


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## Rick (Nov 3, 2006)

Not a lot you can do.


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## Butterfly (Nov 15, 2006)

Finally got some pics of her and a photobucket account.

This is the big one I found on Halloween. She doesnt mind being held but moves pretty fast when being handled. I realized when I "pet" her back her wings came out, lol it was pretty cool so I took pics.







Can anybody tell me for sure what she is? Was I right in thinking she was a Stagmomantis limbata or am I completely off?

heres another one too


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## Butterfly (Nov 15, 2006)

I forgot there was one more without her wings open


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## yen_saw (Nov 15, 2006)

COuld be either Stagmomantis Limbata or Californica. BUt my money will be on S. Limbata. Nice pics!


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## Rick (Nov 15, 2006)

It is stagmomantis.


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## AFK (Nov 16, 2006)

quite sure it's either stagmomantis or iris oratoria, but not sure at all between those 2 lol! rick is probably right though (rick, you ruled out iris, right?)


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## Rick (Nov 17, 2006)

Its stagmomantis.


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## yen_saw (Nov 17, 2006)

Believed iris oratoria has big black and round spot underneath the wing instead. This one is likely Stagmomantis Limbata especially when you see yellow line on the edge of the wing and banding.


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## joossa (Nov 17, 2006)

It's definitly not I.Oratoria. Like Yen said they have an eye spot on their wings. See below...


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## Butterfly (Nov 17, 2006)

That pic of the I oratoria looks like the other one I found at Cal state Northridge a few weeks before I found her.


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