All grown up?

[maneatingmoo]

I checked on one of my mantids today, and it has wings. It's alot bigger now too. So does this mean it's an adult? I think it's a female, and I would like to be able to get baby mantids. For some reason, the other one hasn't shed it's skin since I found it, even though I found them both on the same day.

 

[JennMantis]

Once they have wings, they are adult. I don't think they need to shed at the same time, depends on how much it eats, etc. I have a question, though - I found a mantis yesterday in my yard that is bright green like your avatar - European mantis - what is the difference between the European mantis and the Chinese mantis? The ootheca we hatched and released into our yard were all Chinese mantids (some brown w/ a green stripe on its wings and some that are yellowish/tannish), so I was surprised to see this bright green one. He is sub-adult, I see wing buds. Just curious what the difference is if anyone on the board can describe for me, thanks. I live in Northern California.

 

[The_Asa]

Chinese mantids are larger and are more often (at least to me) a tan color. Also, they are missing the black and white spot in the middle of the raptorial arms like the European. I'm sure there are some comparison pics on this forum.

 

[The_Asa]

Here's a Chinese:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?sh...&hl=Chinese

Here's some European:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?sh...mp;hl=religiosa

 

[JennMantis]

Thanks!! Once I get home, I'll look for the black/white spot. I didn't notice it, so maybe he is a Chinese mantis afterall.

 

[Headspace]

It's been my experience that the Chinese (which is all I've ever raised) have a fairly diverse set of appearances. Color morphology will differ even between siblings; it's not uncommon, for instance, for some of the brothers and sisters from the same ootheca to be all green or all brown.

The foreleg spot is the best way to sort out European from Chinese.

 

[MantidLord]

It's been my experience that the Chinese (which is all I've ever raised) have a fairly diverse set of appearances. Color morphology will differ even between siblings; it's not uncommon, for instance, for some of the brothers and sisters from the same ootheca to be all green or all brown.The foreleg spot is the best way to sort out European from Chinese.

Agreed. I had a chinese ooth hatch and the siblings ended up turning mostly tan (because I had sand as a subtrate), but I also ended up with some greener ones, and even a purple one. Though they all died.

 

[maneatingmoo]

The other one just shedded yesterday, and now it has wings too. They've changed color a bit, from green to more of a yellowish color. They both have a brown stripe down the edge of their wings. Is that normal?

 

[The_Asa]

No need to worry, that's perfectly normal for the species.

 

[maneatingmoo]

Also, their bodies turned a gray color, and the one that shedded yesterday is refusing to eat.

 

[idolomantis]

you worry to much

 

[maneatingmoo]

Yeah I know. Idolomantis, why is that mantis in that picture holding it's wings out all over?

 

[The_Asa]

It's doing a threat pose to scare an intruder away.

 

[idolomantis]

It's doing a threat pose to scare an intruder away.

intruder was my camera lens. and my finger... but she snatched me up fast and before i could blink she bit me...B1†çH!!!

 

[JennMantis]

so it turns out that the mantis I found in my yard is the European mantis - I checked the black/white spot on the forearm and there it was! he still has a shed to go before adult. pretty cool that i found him since i assumed he was one of the Chinese mantids that I released into the yard in the spring. if i could figure out how to post a pic, i would. but, the pics i got of him do not show his forearm spot since he was eating a fly.

 

[maneatingmoo]

But someone told me that mantids are really gentle. I tried holding mine today but she just ran all over me like crazy.

 

[The_Asa]

If you want a calm mantis, get Paradoxa, ghost mantis/

 

[idolomantis]

If you want a calm mantis, get Paradoxa, ghost mantis/

pff to calm if you ask me

 

[collinchang635]

I have an ant mantid which is very, very active. When I put her on my hand, she climbs up my arm and jumps onto my head in about 10 seconds. :blink: