Brunner

Mantidforum

Help Support Mantidforum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Sphynx016

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2016
Messages
49
Reaction score
1
Location
Brooklyn ,NY
This is one I recieved from Kyle on the first of September . Has molted 3 times since then .Anyone had this so before ? If so feel free to give me any extra pointers or facts. According to Brian Fridie it's 5 th instar .currently my only mantid.

14563496_1176331585793642_8179735613748500545_n.jpg

14570282_1176331629126971_7126628549491429913_n.jpg

14590280_1176331365793664_3018049219515745335_n (1).jpg

14606550_1176331369126997_6199833518430943739_n (1).jpg

14666263_1176331835793617_469898872629598003_n.jpg

14732247_1176331372460330_7483985176332135408_n.jpg

14906964_1176331619126972_956139536566949512_n.jpg

14907131_1176331812460286_1504469320852098417_n.jpg

 
Last edited by a moderator:
@Sphynx016 Habitat size usually recommended is three times the mantis length in height, and twice the mantis length for width and length; however, as this is a large species a larger habitat is a good idea from the start.

I can tell you the Brunner's mantis (Brunneria borealis) species is purely parthenogenetic (no mating required or even possible, as 99% of the mantises are female and most people have never seen a male or ever will) so every ooth that is laid by females will hatch - and all the nymphs will be female clones. The ooths slowly release nymphs and can hatch for up to 2 years. Currently I have three ooths almost a year old now and still I occasionally get new nymphs.

Regarding care there are no care sheets online, but I would suggest the standard mantis care which is about 60% humidity (mist ever other day, and it should evaporate in 30 minutes of less) and for the temperature I would highly recommend you keep her warmer at 80F to 85F degrees. They are found in the southern US states and seem to need the warmth.

I wish you well with it as I have had issues rearing the freshly hatched nymphs to their L2 stage, and only one made it to L3. No matter the change to the care, food/prey, humidity, habitat, temperature, etc has made any difference in their lifespan. I'm not sure if they are that difficult of a species until they reach latter instars, or if my ooths were affected at some point from drying out and the nymphs are very weak from it, or what.

Perhaps that is why the species is not common in the hobby, as I only hear of wild adults (or near adults) and wild ooths being offered for sale a few times a year. After all being a strictly parthenogenetic species they should thrive in captivity, and be more common than Ghosts (Phyllocrania paradoxa) and others that are always available, as all their ooths are guaranteed to hatch; however, they are definitely not and tend to be rarely available or discussed.

All I do know is when this round of my Brunner's mantis ooths and nymphs are over, I will not be trying this species again.

 

Latest posts

Top