breeding for the first time

[Woodbox]

I have 5 stagmomantis carolina mantis. 2 of them are L8 adults as of July 30th.

I plan to put the male in my bathroom and introduce the female using Rick's breeding technique (pics are gone ) pinned in this sub-forum this Friday or Sunday, about 2 weeks. If all goes well and they hookup, I'll give them privacy. (I have 3 bathrooms, I'll be fine for a day w/out that one) I will check on them a few times the first hour, then, when I know he took, I'll leave them alone except to check on them once and a while.

Same goes for the rest of my mantids as they level up.

Does that sound about right? Any suggestions?

 

[MantidLord]

Sounds great, but I think you may be a tad over cautious with the whole day thing. But nothing wrong with that. Good luck.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Sounds like a winner to me!

 

[Rick]

If they will be loose in the room keep in mind that the female will wander.

 

[Woodbox]

Liftoff here too. Big TY to Rick for his pinned thread.

I have been really unhappy with my male. My females want to do nothing but eat now. Anything that moves is game. My males however seems distracted. They seem to want to eat if it is convenient. I feed my boy and if he thinks he can escape his cage, he drops food and runs.

I decided to keep them in the cage for mating. I added her to his cage. He did not notice. She noticed his moth that he had not eaten for 2 days, caught it, and started eating. I poked him towards her. He looked at her. Then I realized he was only looking at the moth as he started sway walking away. I then poked her. She moved. He then saw her. It was pretty quick/violent after that. He took a step them flew and landed on her. He then started smacking her in the head with his antenna while bending his abdomen around. Connect. She dropped the moth. I gave it back to her. She eats anything. I think she wants to eat my cat. He wont make it. Pics later.

 

[MantidLord]

Congrats. yeah, that initial jump by the males always seem to be violent. I laugh when the female just keeps walking like nothing happened. And the male seems all serious.

 

[Woodbox]

With as fast as it happened, I have a hard time believing a male had determined species, much less even gender with as much time as it took for him to make a decision. It was a female shaped object and he was going for it.

 

[MantidLord]

Yeah, I've had males jump on other males as well, so I doubt that they always know what's going on. (also males jump on other species of mantis). But from my experience, when they beat their antennae on the female, they seem to determine if in fact it is a female. Jump first, ask questions later.

 

[Woodbox]

over 24 hours and still hooked

 

[MantidLord]

Dang. Talk about an investment.

 

[Woodbox]

 

[hibiscusmile]

I noticed if the female does a quick movement is when most males notice them, good shot!

 

[MantidLord]

Same here Rebecca. I feed my adult females fruit flies when trying to breed them. The females seem to react more to smaller, fast moving prey, which then triggers the male's response.