Color change!

[beatsnotbombs]

When should I expect color changes for:

Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii

and Ghost mantises?

What factors determine these outcomes?

 

[CoolMantid]

I think Temperature and Humidity but It might be genetics

 

[Bryce08]

I think Temperature and Humidity but It might be genetics

i agree with that, the ghosts ive misted more, have turned green, one dark, one light...others black.

 

[CoolMantid]

Higher temp. and humidity= Green

Cooler temp. and less humidity=Brown\

Work from there

 

[PhilinYuma]

Or background color, or latent radioactivity in the water or whether you feed your flies with honey or pollen. I have raised both species and found that many ghosts and most wallies don't change their nymphal color at all. Our threads are full of these imponderables, and they don't advance the hobby much, BUT you, Bestshot, can help us all by taking careful notes on yr own nymphs and telling us what happens.

 

[lunarstorm]

I believe that we cannot influence the coloration of our mantids (genetic tampering notwithstanding). I'd be delighted if someone can point me towards a lengthy, valid scientific study that proves me wrong.

 

[jcal]

Or background color, or latent radioactivity in the water or whether you feed your flies with honey or pollen. I have raised both species and found that many ghosts and most wallies don't change their nymphal color at all. Our threads are full of these imponderables, and they don't advance the hobby much, BUT you, Bestshot, can help us all by taking careful notes on yr own nymphs and telling us what happens.

I believe that we cannot influence the coloration of our mantids (genetic tampering notwithstanding). I'd be delighted if someone can point me towards a lengthy, valid scientific study that proves me wrong.

Agreed

 

[meaganelise9]

There was someone on the UK forum that did an experiment with different colored cups. Sadly, no pics.

http://www.ukmantisforums.co.uk/breeding-nymph-care/8713-pseudocreobotra-wahlbergii-colour-experiment.html

 

[jcal]

Nice read.

His losses were staggering with the color cups. And didn't yield any color changing results. Someone on this forum was trying something similar but their name escapes me.

 

[meaganelise9]

Yeah, that's what I found interesting. I wonder if not getting enough unfiltered light affected their well-being. He said he did notice some color changes but then stopped updating as much (and no photos). So yeah.. I still rely on genetics over anything that hasn't been proven.

 

[bobericc]

My ghost turned green only after her last molt

She had turtle grass in her cage too, humidity was moderate and temps were in the high 60 low 70

I do believe backgrounds play a part in mantis coloration, but I think genetics play a bigger part personally

 

[meaganelise9]

I wish my mendica had turned more green. I kept a lot of green things in his cage, it has a green lid, even a green paper parasol and the occasional misting, but Tammy's are much more green than mine. Oh well.