Anyone else notice L4 is the shortest instar??

[agent A]

Ok my mantises seem to spend the shortest amount of time at L4

For example

Creobroter pictipennis

L1-3 weeks

L2-3 weeks

L3-2.5 weeks

L4-10 days

L5-2 weeks

L6-2 weeks (3 for females)

L7(females only)- 3 weeks

Hymenopus coronatus

L2- few days (got them at L2 though)

L3- 2.5 weeks

L4-1.5 weeks

L5-??

Stagmomantis californica

L1-2 weeks

L2-1.5 weeks

L3-1 week

L4-3 days

L5-1 week

L6-2 weeks

L7 (females only)-12 days

Popa spurca

L1-2 weeks

L2-3 weeks

L3- a long time

L4-2 weeks

L5- a long time

Other instars- total of 5 months

Anyways in all these situations only food size changed

Anyone else notice this

Is there something about L4 that causes this??

 

[Mime454]

3 days? I almost don't believe that. L4 did seem to be shorter for my popas and majusculas though. I haven't tracked the molts very well since I started keeping so many.

 

[agent A]

3 days? I almost don't believe that. L4 did seem to be shorter for my popas and majusculas though. I haven't tracked the molts very well since I started keeping so many.

Stagmo+heat lamp+roaches= fast growth

 

[fleurdejoo]

I feel like all of them molt so fast, it's cray cray. I used to keep excellent track of molts but too many now. The only ones I know FO SHO are my Idolo's.

 

[Malakyoma]

You probably saw my "Moltfest" thread. They were molting to L3, 9 days later they all molted again to L4. I hope its not even shorter this time because I don't want there to be problems by growing too fast

 

[AxolotlsAreCoolToo]

my majusculas L4 were in that molt form only a week

 

[angelofdeathzz]

The first molt to L2 is always the shortest for me 7-10 days, then progressively longer for each following molt, but adding heat will speed things up for sure, the draw back is a shorter life span though so to avoid that I recommend reducing the heat a bit once adult.

I've experimented with many temperature ranges and the hottest ones did well but had the shortest life spans overall, but too cool and it can effect their appetite as well as molting much slower to adult which can lead to a mis-molt after being at a particular instar too long.

 

[garin33]

Ok my mantises seem to spend the shortest amount of time at L4

For example

Creobroter pictipennis

L1-3 weeks

L2-3 weeks

L3-2.5 weeks

L4-10 days

L5-2 weeks

L6-2 weeks (3 for females)

L7(females only)- 3 weeks

Hymenopus coronatus

L2- few days (got them at L2 though)

L3- 2.5 weeks

L4-1.5 weeks

L5-??

Stagmomantis californica

L1-2 weeks

L2-1.5 weeks

L3-1 week

L4-3 days

L5-1 week

L6-2 weeks

L7 (females only)-12 days

Popa spurca

L1-2 weeks

L2-3 weeks

L3- a long time

L4-2 weeks

L5- a long time

Other instars- total of 5 months

Anyways in all these situations only food size changed

Anyone else notice this

Is there something about L4 that causes this??

Excellent information as usual Alex. I find it very educational when the members post such detailed logs of the incubation, molts, eating, number of ooths, temperatures, etc. Please keep it up. I know it must be very tedious to keep track of all these details.

I've been meaning to ask, what do you use for supplemental heating? I currently use a 75 watt black bulb but it seems to only raise the temperature of the tank about 10 degrees. So now that it is a lot cooler and the room is about 65, it only gets up to about 75 in the evenings and ooths are taking a long time to hatch, etc.

Thanks again for all the detailed info you share.

 

[agent A]

Excellent information as usual Alex. I find it very educational when the members post such detailed logs of the incubation, molts, eating, number of ooths, temperatures, etc. Please keep it up. I know it must be very tedious to keep track of all these details.

I've been meaning to ask, what do you use for supplemental heating? I currently use a 75 watt black bulb but it seems to only raise the temperature of the tank about 10 degrees. So now that it is a lot cooler and the room is about 65, it only gets up to about 75 in the evenings and ooths are taking a long time to hatch, etc.

Thanks again for all the detailed info you share.

40 watt basking bulb, it gets REAL hot!!

 

[garin33]

The first molt to L2 is always the shortest for me 7-10 days, then progressively longer for each following molt, but adding heat will speed things up for sure, the draw back is a shorter life span though so to avoid that I recommend reducing the heat a bit once adult.

I've experimented with many temperature ranges and the hottest ones did well but had the shortest life spans overall, but too cool and it can effect their appetite as well as molting much slower to adult which can lead to a mis-molt after being at a particular instar too long.

Great information. I have have had some subadults that took a very long time to molt and when they finally did, many had mismolts. The ones that molted to adult the soonest, never had any issues. I will try to make sure that I have higher heat from sub to adult.

 

[garin33]

40 watt basking bulb, it gets REAL hot!!

So do you use one bulb per container? If so, I would assume you have many light bulbs shining down on each container?

Do you put a thermometer in the container so you know what the temp is or just go by experience because you have been doing it for so long? Do you use a thermostat? Sorry for the many questions.

It would be awesome if you could take some pictures of your setup.

Thanks.

 

[Malakyoma]

I dunno if my griffins molted to L5 in the last couple days and I missed it or if they're just growing into L4 but they seem bigger than usual. I mightve missed it because of how busy I've been buying and making new enclosures for new mantids. I have a lot now lol