Recent content by Ellithain

I got home only to find that my first of 3 giant dead leaf nymphs has officially matured into a beautiful male. I have one more male and one female in need of one more molt to mature. I plan on breeding them and have read the tips on breeding mantids pinned here. I was just wondering if anyone...

My fruit fly culture was also infested. They all ended up dying off in a week and I had to throw them.. sorry I wish I had a better answer for how to keep them alive and get rid of the mites. :( I wish you luck!

Actually I did put two cut up halves of a lemon in with my dubias after I cleaned everything with bleach 3-4 times. I’m an avid watcher of antscanada and knew that he had used it to some success with his ant colony. Honestly, I don’t know if it did much but my dubias seemed to like the lemons...

Leia passed away today..  it’s my first ever mantis death but I had been preparing for this outcome for a while. I still don’t know what this was but she fought it for so long and at least I know I truely tried my best to save her. 

Ultimately shes quarantined from my others and I wash my hands in between her and them in case she has something. If she never passes then great! weird but great! If she does then I've tried everything I can think of. 

Shes still doing it and now its looking reddish. No longer a dark brown. Honestly I have no idea because she's otherwise still acting fine! Maybe its not what I thought it was? I'm unsure. 

I can try to find a small enough dubia. I think I still have a few nymphs... in the meantime I’ll start the honey. 

I am still giving her around 7-8 hydei whenever her abdomen starts looking too flat. I haven’t gone back to the blue bottles since they were what she was eating when this all started. 

I guess there are grain mite eggs in most forms of grain to begin with since they can be so difficult to completely eradicate/prevent. From what I hear if you have high humidity and leave flour out you can get them infesting your pantry. Kinda gross to think about but cooking kills them and I’ve...

Okay weird thing, after she molted she’s started it up again. Only small amounts and not nearly as dark as before but she’s throwing up again ? she seems otherwise fine.. i don’t get it. 

Aw I’m so sorry :(  

Good news! She’s still free of anymore vomiting and she’s molted! Hopefully in the clear now. 

There is still no throwing up of her food today and she’s been not moving from the underside of her leaf so I’m thinking molt today or tomorrow! :)  

No throw up today! Yay! I fed her two small fruit flies (not trying to over stuff her) and we’ll see tomorrow if it stays the same. :)  

Hey whatever works for you! I have had good luck with josh’s frogs fly spikes just take a few out of the fridge a few days early and let them emerge from the spikes as flies. All of my mantids very clearly prefer them over the small dubias or cut up mealworms I’ve offered before. Especially my...