Another exciting find in the wild (baby edition)!

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Yeah, majescula are the only Hierodula I know who sport such purple colors... But we don't get 'em here!
My purplest one, Pedt, ate a katydid twice his size.
I plunked it in there with him, and when I saw how much I underestimated the katydid's size, I was ready to remove it from the enclosure but--before I could even begin to do so, he already football tackled it and went to town...

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looks awfully pleased with himself...
Hopefully such a large meal will send him into his fourth instar, soon!!

 
Southeast asia is pretty amazing; there's a huuuge variety here (there are at least 15 different genera in Thailand alone, as far as I know--and even more species).
I'm sure places in Africa are more of the same, as well.

 
L4 molt on my colorful pink guy!

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Still quite pink... His brothers are starting to get more green, But this little dude has decided the fuscia is in!

 
Wow.. this guy is quite the over achiever.. Very cute... I still can't help... but I do love to watch the mystery unfold... Wouldn't it be great if you discovered a new species!

 
Did we get a positive id on these guys... just curious

How are they doing? up date please ..

 
I had a hierodula majuscula that exacted the same patterns, but like someone before me mentioned...they are native to Australia.

 
here's another one from the same batch who molted to L5, and the first thing I thought when I saw him was "my you're looking very majustic today..."

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Look at that pink chest!

These guys are also shaping up to be pretty small. Even for males, they're turning out to be way tinier than my other Heirodula (parviceps, most likely) girls...

So who do I alert if majuscula have invaded thailand? :tt2:

 
Quote: "my you're looking very majustic today..."

And he know it!

I don't know who you notify?...

Thanks for updating us.. Nice pic...

 
I think I know what it is I have one in my pinned collection. ill look up the name later.

 
I just wanted to post an update about these babies!
Three of them wound up being some manner of Heirodula sp: two females, one male. I kept the male, and released the other two girls, since they all appear to be the very same species as my other girls (despite looking very different as L1/L2 nymphs o__o)
One of them, however, turned out to be a completely different genus!
Behold, Noi the Rhombodera:

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As you can see, she's a subadult now. She's also as big as my largest (adult) Hierodula. She's really trigger happy with threat displaying--but she's all bark, no bite.

Her shield, while definitely very different from my Heirodula girls (broader at the top, with a more gradual tapering towards the base), is pretty humble as far as a "shield mantis'" shield goes.... There's apparently a species called R. longa which fits the bill for this girl, to a T. So that's been my casual ID for her.

She's really cool! Her pink chest is very charming. I wished I had a male for her, as well! (why are the boys so difficult to come by, in the wild!?)

 
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She is a beauty...so glad you kind of figured out what she is... Thanks for sharing!

 
I've got me an adult Rhombo now! She molted beautifully and she's the biggest mantis I've ever had!

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She's about five inches, and weighs more than an insect has any right to weigh!
She's grown into a really sweet personality, too! Which is amazing considering she was such a punchy jerk during pre-sub...

I'm really happy with her! She such a wonderful little goliath!

 
Very nice looking girl, and so huge. :D Glad to see she calmed down too, awesome.

 
Gorgeous young lady! Let us know how setting her outside in a cage goes. It would be great if you could send an ooth to the US.

 
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