Devil's Flower Mantis (Idolomantis diabolica)

[erizo]

Okay. So. I know that this is a mantis only for advanced keepers. What do I need to learn and how many mantids should I keep before attempting to keep Idolomantis diabolica? I think they're so cool looking and I'd love to have one, eventually. Long term goal, I know. I currently have a H. Majuscula and will soon be getting H. Venosa, R. Megaera, and P. Wahlbergii. So obviously my current experience level is not super high. How would I know when I'm ready? How many mantids did you keep before getting one? 

 

[PIaf94]

I think building up your experience to keep this amazing species you should first start off with something very beginner friendly species like local Stagmomantis Sp. here in the states. Ghost or Chinese mantis are also very good choices. Keeping a species like this from nymph will introduce you to the basics of keeping a mantis, their husbandry and everything. H.Majuscula is a good start. Next step would be an Orchid mantis. This species will teach you one of the hardest things about keeping Idolomantis Diabolica and that is flower mantids need flying prey like blue bottle flys, moths etc to thrive in captivity. After getting an orchid mantis to successfully mature I’d look into a violin mantis. This species has exact same care required for Idolos but are a more forgiving species if something ain’t rite in their habitat. In my opinion idolomantis isn’t a very difficult species to keep. In terms of mantids yes they are very difficult but as a pet they aren’t too demanding. If you get their requirements and conditions rite it’s a cake walk.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

I kept around 15ish species before getting mine. They are on a different level of finicky and a pain in the but to feed. Very pretty though.

 

[guapoalto049]

I think building up your experience to keep this amazing species you should first start off with something very beginner friendly species like local Stagmomantis Sp. here in the states. Ghost or Chinese mantis are also very good choices. Keeping a species like this from nymph will introduce you to the basics of keeping a mantis, their husbandry and everything. H.Majuscula is a good start. Next step would be an Orchid mantis. This species will teach you one of the hardest things about keeping Idolomantis Diabolica and that is flower mantids need flying prey like blue bottle flys, moths etc to thrive in captivity. After getting an orchid mantis to successfully mature I’d look into a violin mantis. This species has exact same care required for Idolos but are a more forgiving species if something ain’t rite in their habitat. In my opinion idolomantis isn’t a very difficult species to keep. In terms of mantids yes they are very difficult but as a pet they aren’t too demanding. If you get their requirements and conditions rite it’s a cake walk.

I wouldn’t say it’s a cake walk, “keeping” Idolomantis isn’t the issue, it’s the successfully raising of nymphs to adult and eventual reproduction that is the issue. Many hundreds of people keep Idolomantis on a yearly basis, yet nobody in the US has captive bred them for generations. All of the Idolomantis you see in the US unfortunately are products of wild collected oothecae.

If you keep 5 species of mantises but get all to reproduce at a high rate (ie you start with 10 first instar nymphs and end up with multiple hatching oothecae) then it’s worth a try with Idolomantis.

There is a ton of misinformation out there on this species from people who have only “kept” Idolomantis. Very little from breeders

 

[MrGhostMantis]

I wouldn’t say it’s a cake walk, “keeping” Idolomantis isn’t the issue, it’s the successfully raising of nymphs to adult and eventual reproduction that is the issue. Many hundreds of people keep Idolomantis on a yearly basis, yet nobody in the US has captive bred them for generations. All of the Idolomantis you see in the US unfortunately are products of wild collected oothecae.

If you keep 5 species of mantises but get all to reproduce at a high rate (ie you start with 10 first instar nymphs and end up with multiple hatching oothecae) then it’s worth a try with Idolomantis.

There is a ton of misinformation out there on this species from people who have only “kept” Idolomantis. Very little from breeders

Well that’s a bit discouraging...but I thought people have bred them and gotten captive bred nymphs?

 

[guapoalto049]

Very few people worldwide have been able to produce captive-bred Idolomantis diabolica over the last 10 years. The collection and exportation of oothecae from native areas is likely decimating the wild numbers

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Very few people worldwide have been able to produce captive-bred Idolomantis diabolica over the last 10 years. The collection and exportation of oothecae from native areas is likely decimating the wild numbers

That’s disappointing. I want to start some sort of breeding project for Idolomantis. No idea how though haha.

 

[guapoalto049]

That’s disappointing. I want to start some sort of breeding project for Idolomantis. No idea how though haha.

It won’t be disappointing for much longer, all I’m gonna say haha

 

[stacywhite75]

I can personally concur with the difficulty of the species. I actually have one who has successfully become an adult. Hallelujah! It took four years of raising and owning about 100 different species before I felt comfortable enough to take this one on. But I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can take a picture of the enclosure that I have Aspen in and you can go from there maybe it'll be helpful. I put a mesh up all around the terrarium. I stuck it to the sides and everything. Everyday I misted actually everyday I drenched the sphagnum Moss and Coco coir to keep the enclosure nice and moist the humidity level was about 80°, the entire time I had two bulbs two heating elements during the night and then one heating and then one light and heating bulb during the day as well as a heat pad underneath the tank to heat up the sphagnum Moss. I ran out of flies for a few days and this effer would not eat and lost so much weight I thought he was going to die. So I hand fed him smushed up do the roaches and mixed it with this powdered carnivorous supplement that I got on Amazon to provide further nutrition. he still fought and resisted and it was just really a headache I was so thankful when I got the flies and they hatch and I fed a ton to him and he started eating again. I don't know why these guys are so damn picky but they are and I don't think I'll ever buy the species again even though they're so beautiful they're very scared and skittish and I feel bad when I think that he's stressed out but anywho here's the pictures...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sNU6WhRVz3GXo4F36