Basic questions about naming mantids

[Jay]

Okay – perhaps this is just me – but I have problems with naming a mantis until it reaches adulthood. For some reason I have difficulty with making the commitment of a name until I am pretty sure my mantises wont end up writhing at the bottom of the enclosure from a freak mismoult. I wonder if this is normal...

So, here are a few basic questions I have:

Do you name your mantids or not?

If you do, when do you name them? (Please also explain your reasoning)

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

I name the ones that mean a lot to me. Like the first of the species for me. I named my first Hierodula Membranacea Greenbean. She died on her sub-adult molt.

 

[LAME]

I name all my mantids!

I wait until gender identification is absolute and go from there.

Although, my first mantis Tenodera sinensis(Echo.) I let my son name.

Movie reference: Earth To Echo

Also, my girlfriend named one of the ghost mantids I received from the forum support program "Nymbit". Which actually originates from The Carebears.

 

[MantidBro]

I name mine instantly lol! as soon as i know which hatchlings im keeping, or as soon as i take them inside and check em out after they arrive on my doorstep.

At the moment I have Platysil, an adult female Deroplatys lobata. I named her at L2.

Vates, an adult female Phyllovates chlorophaea, who I named at L1.

Then Platysil's offspring, Brexta, Lil B and Rezz, all who I named at L2. They're now at L3. I did lose some though. But theyd been named as well.

 

[sgtkeens]

I numbered most of mine. My uncle named one, though. My mantids are named 1, 3, 5, and R2D2.

 

[LAME]

I numbered most of mine. My uncle named one, though. My mantids are named 1, 3, 5, and R2D2.

LMAO! Classic.

 

[MantidBro]

I numbered most of mine. My uncle named one, though. My mantids are named 1, 3, 5, and R2D2.

LOL! i wonder which one your uncle named? haha

 

[Rick]

No. Unique numbers if necessary.

 

[mantiseater]

I dont name mine. I named my first one maybe I forget what though

 

[Domanating]

I used to name them all before with weird names. But now I only name them when they reach adulthood and also have a particular physical characteristic. I use that trait to make a name.

For example, I recently posted a pic of a female European that got her wings frilled on her final molt so I called her Wingfrill

 

[czlu]

mantis1, mantis2, mantis3, etc

 

[CosbyArt]

I haven't bothered to name mine as I plan to trade/sell most of them off as I can, and to ensure they survive to adulthood or even what sex they are.

I label all my nymph cups though with name/number of ooth, nymph number that hatched, and when they were born. Such as "Ooth 11 #7 1-4-15". That one though got the nickname Escapee as I found it on top of a closed incubation container after I removed the other nymphs. I do that so I can keep track of the molts to properly id the current instar of any nymph in my running mantis log (it's getting huge).

When I do pick a name though I try to chose one that fits it's personality, a unique trait, or the situation (such as saving it from a winter freeze death). Although for my wife's pets, or family one, they all get a name starting with a S.. no idea why just the way it has been since the 90s except one anyway. Just realized even my last/first adult mantis was named with a S too, Susanna.

 

[Sticky]

I have some little ones that are Hierodula. One of them I named Tidbit. I was trying to put him in his new cup and he was racing around my lap. I said "You better come back here or olyou will be someone's tidbit!" I find names often pop up like that.

Same thing with Sticky. He was my first chinese and was a weakling. I was feeding him honey. He liked it so much he wrapped his arms around the little stick I was using! I was talking to a friend on the phone and told her he was getting all sticky.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I've always had a simple rule when it comes to naming nymphs. I don't give any names until the mantis survives its first shedding. If I'm ordering nymphs from someone than that rule translates to their first shedding with me versus their first actual one. It is a right of passage for my mantises and until then they are all simply called speck. Outside of that I name all of my mantises once I am sure I will be keeping them. I don't care about gender stereotypes when it comes to naming so I don't worry about sexing them if they are too young at the time to do so.

Since I spend one on one time with my mantises typically something random will pop in my head and that will get it all started. I've also gotten some random names when watching movie marathons. For instance there was an Alien form the Alien movie franchise and Redrum from The Shining.

Sometimes I will also go with themes when I am raising up a few nymphs at the same time. For instance I named one of my creos Charming (as in Prince Charming) because he kept claw dancing as a nymph when I picked him up. His name prompted me to name his sister Wicked (as in Wicked Witch) to go along with the theme. I always liked the sound of the word wicked, however I should note this name didn't have anything to do with her personality since she was a complete sweetie.