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    Creo mating crisis

    Looking for some thoughts on Creobroter (gemmatus I think) fertility.  I've learned again today, the hard way, that even well-fed females are fond of a post-mating snack of male Creo.  I mated two females and two males over a couple weeks.  All involved were two weeks or older.  I fed the...
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    Mating cannibalism

    So everyone that has spent time on this forum, or raised mantises long enough, knows how the "Female always eats the head of the male during or after mating" thing is not nearly as prevalent as the myth implies.  It happens, but in many species, it's REALLY rare.  In fact, in the years I've...
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    Issues with raising Dubias

    Question for any roach culture experts out there. I bought 2 dozen dubia nymphs 11 months ago.  I now have 5 (3 female: 2 males).  The ones that are gone were fed to mantises that reached maturity and have since passed. Really amazing is that I didn't lose a single roach to anything other than...
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    Local mantis population question

    I live in NE Illinois.  Wondering if anyone else had noticed what I've observed this year.  In the neighborhood, there has ALWAYS been a pretty robust population of Chinese mantises. Over the last 3-5 years, it seems like there has even been a "bumper crop" of Chinese mantises.  Maybe the mild...
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    Shady Oak Butterfly Farm

    I was looking to find some large silk moth caterpillars (Cecropia, Luna, Polyphemus, etc.) a month or so ago.  I stumbled on this website/breeder.  I thought the price for caterpillars seemed a bit high, but have never ordered anything other than mantises...so what do I know.  Shipments of...
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    S. gastrica after a BIG job

    Here's my female Sphodromantis gastrica after laying a SERIOUS ooth this morning.  Gotta be the biggest I've seen when it comes to body size:ooth size ratio.  Bet she's just a bit tired now!
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    Hierodula venosa - One breeding story and one ooth question

    So I've got 3 adult H. venosas.  One really cool bluish, green male, and 2 females (golden phase - half green and half gold actually).  Female 1 ~  3 weeks old and starts calling.  I paired them up and he was hooked up in no time.  Female was well fed and not aggressive at all.  4-5 hours later...
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    Another roach question

    I recently purchased 2 dozen red runner roaches. I have several adults now (two female H. venosas that have been mated) and on S. lineola.  Heard good things about working roaches in as a good high-protein feeder for adults so I made the purchase (Turkish red runners).  Here's the question, they...
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    Slow grower - native species

    Thought I would throw this out there to see if anyone else has a similar experience... Raised a handful of native Carolina mantises I found in Davenport, IA.  4 nymphs I collected in late July.  Three of them grew and matured normally.  3 of the 4 molted to adulthood by mid-late August. One...
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    Carolina...with unusual coloration

    Was on the road late last summer and stopped at a place about 2 hrs south of Chicago.  Noticed this nymph feeding on a fly.  Definitely looks like L7 female Stagmomantis carolina...but it was such an unusual color.  Almost bright yellow with some really light tan (almost orange) patches.  I've...
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    New to the forum

    Hello from the Chicago area! I just discovered this forum but have been a hardcore mantis fanatic since the 1st grade (a long, LONG time ago). I've collected, bred, and raised only "local" species for over 35 years (Chinese, Carolina, and European), but I only recently realized that there were a...
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