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Interesting... so you have to use some intuition there.  Does one use a thermometer and hygrometer at both the center and the outermost part of the wash, to establish a range of conditions?

Right, I get that.  I'm just wondering, why is it better not to have light?  Is it more energy efficient, or is it better for the mantids' well-being?  Sorry if I'm missing something obvious! Ahh, I see... learn something new every day! ☺️

Thanks for that!  So is there an advantage to ceramic heat emitters over light bulbs?  And, forgive me, but what does it mean to 'wash a lamp'?  (and in this case you use light bulbs, correct? when do you use light bulbs vs IR emitters?)

Wow nymphs emerging from their worm skin sounds like a sight to see!  Can't wait to try breeding 😄

@Synapze & @Tonypace2009 yeah I definitely gathered from you guys some valuable concepts I can base my own setups on!😊 It sounds like it takes some improvisation to get it right.  Thanks again for sharing your expertise

I see.  So you say hatched and come out of the worm skin, so what is the worm skin, is it the individual cell in the ooth, or something else, maybe shed after hatching?  Btw sorry for not responding sooner... I didn't receive notifications the last couple months and I thought folks were losing...

Ty for all the important details!  I would chuckle back at those folks 😄. Your methods sound ingenious and efficient.  Using a gentle heat source makes sense for a somewhat delicate creature like a mantid!   Is it a DIY project to hook heating cables to a control enclosure?  As you mentioned...

I have seen on the forum setups (posted by Synapze - please let me know if I should cite the post) for the individual mantis in 32oz. plastic specimen cups arrayed and stacked.  What I’m wondering is, what is the method for heating a setup like this, with individual containers?  I get that you...

Indeed. I get that 🙃

@hysteresis thank you much!  The endless info is great, but the nice people is even better 🙃

Thank you. Yeah it seems that way. :)

Thanks!😸👋

Apologies, I'm not certain whether imago is a term I don't know, or a typo 🤫😊 So do you mean "once they are adults" they will go into the butterfly cage? (after final molt?) Oh incidentally, so to clarify, is the first instar at hatching or after the first molt?  And I presume the final instar...

Thank you for the clarification!  So if I am not mistaken, you advise raising the mantids up to the age when you move them to the adults' communal tank (or whatever enclosure one uses), in the very same container you placed them in as nymphs, with the exception of skinny individuals?  So...

Thank you!  Lovely to be here 🙂

I would really appreciate if anyone could provide a link  or a quick overview of the overall method for rearing nymphs, juveniles, and adults for communal propagation. I'd like to get my head around all the requirements and the general approach taken. So I have a few questions to reveal a few...

Hmm... thanks for that guess.  It's an interesting find, and definitely golden with elaborate antennae and horn.  But the one I'm talking about in this close-up photo literally looked like it was plated in gold.  I hope this was not an example of photoshop.  This mantis looks metallic not unlike...

I'm trying to recall the name of this mantis species I came across over ten years ago.  I discovered it in an amazing close-up nature photo of its face.  It had a striking golden metallic sheen unique among mantids as far as I know, and elaborate antennae and crest.  It turned out to be a very...

ty! 😊

Thanks for all the great info.  So you let. many loose in the polytunnel, and then actually release some to the environment?  Is this so you can harvest breeding survivors later, as you mentioned this was also for the purpose of breeding?  Are there any species which can survive the cold months...