Communal Mantids

[Madem Mantis]

Are Texas Unicorn Mantids (Phyllovates Chlorophaea) communal??

Was trying to find a list of Communal Mantids and couldn’t find a set list.

I know 

- Violins (gongylus gongylodes)

- Cat eye (heterochaeta orientalis)

- Orchids and some Ghosts can be...

Are there any others?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Orchids are NOT communal. Texicorns are supposedly communal, but if you don’t have many I wouldn’t risk it.

- MantisGirl13 

 

[Synapze]

This link may be helpful. Read the remarks section for info on cannibalism. It is described as rare for P. chlorophaea. I've read other articles describing the species as communal, but I've never experienced it first-hand... I only have one.

https://bugguide.net/node/view/71463

 

[Ben10101]

I believe Sibylla pretiosa is, Otomantis scutigera I the little experience I have also seems communal.

 

[Madem Mantis]

Thanks Synapze! That link helps!

Thanks mantisgirl13! I’ve only had 1 orchid. I was led to believe communal, thank you for correcting me!

 

[hysteresis]

Yen advised me to separate my orchid hatches same-day. I did so. 

I think if hungry enough, any species individual will cannibalize. 

I might even think a communal species individual flailing desperately in mismolt would trigger prey aggression from its sibling. 

I only have seven Idolomantis nymphs and I dont dare lose one, so they're not kept communally.

Whereas my i2 gongys are all happy together. Some did mismolt, so there are corpses, but I see nothing that would indicate cannibalism. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I've seen lots of cannibalism in my l2-l3 gongys!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

I've seen lots of cannibalism in my l2-l3 gongys!

- MantisGirl13

Did you feed them every day? 

 

[MantisGirl13]

Did you feed them every day? 

Not every day, but I keep them pretty fat!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Jaywo]

Idolos are not communal. More like opportunistic cannibals. I keep thinking they are but I have never experienced it and I still try. Stupid me.

Popa Spurcas I think are communalish.

 

[BlobfishBoy]

I know Metallyticus sp. are kept communally but that’s not really a mantis many have access to.