Empusa pennata

[Emile.Wilson]

Nice pictures, you got to love those guys

 

[ABbuggin]

I now have a total of 2 adult pairs. I just introduced a male with a female today and he is currently mounted and searching for her rear. :lol:

 

[sbugir]

Great ABuggin, I'm glad to hear that a beautiful species are gettin it on! , and will have generations of course.

 

[ismart]

Fantastic andrew! I hope they lay you many ooths!

 

[wero626]

Wow they look cool i got a ooth so cant wait to have little guys like that good luck with them =]

 

[ABbuggin]

Ok, a bit of a twist. The male was mounted on the female for 6 hours before I went to bed, he was still on her when I went to bed, I never saw them connect. When I woke up, they were separated, and to my surprise, the female had laid an ooth! I am not sure if they mated or not, but I have reason to believe that they did. Prior to yesterday, she had laid an infertile ooth (very small). The ooth she laid during the night is over 3x as large, this is what makes me think that they mated. Of course, jut so be sure I'll introduce the male again, and will hopefully actually witness mating.

 

[Rick]

I am sure you will keep the ooth just to be sure. Let us know if it hatches. If you ever have a hatched ooth you don't want let me know.

 

[ABbuggin]

I am sure you will keep the ooth just to be sure. Let us know if it hatches. If you ever have a hatched ooth you don't want let me know.

I am going to be keeping it for sure, it looks much better than the one she laid a few days ago. I'll make sure to save a hatched ooth for you. Incubation time if fairly short about 2 weeks or so.

 

[sbugir]

I am going to be keeping it for sure, it looks much better than the one she laid a few days ago. I'll make sure to save a hatched ooth for you. Incubation time if fairly short about 2 weeks or so.

That is short... Out of curiosity, will you be selling nymphs?

 

[ABbuggin]

That is short... Out of curiosity, will you be selling nymphs?

Once I have enough for myself, I will sell nymphs.

 

[sbugir]

Once I have enough for myself, I will sell nymphs.

Awesome, theyre cute little doods. The wing color on the female? was amazing.

 

[ABbuggin]

Awesome, theyre cute little doods. The wing color on the female? was amazing.

I agree, the males have the same wing coloration also.

 

[jarek]

how often does she lay ooths?

 

[ABbuggin]

how often does she lay ooths?

Well considering she has only laid two ooths, I dont know. She did lay them a few days apart form each other.

 

[ABbuggin]

Male mounted twice today. First time I'm not sure if they mated, but the second time I finally caught them in the act!!

 

[mantidsaresweet]

Great job Andrew!

I was wondering how you keep them hot because in my house it only gets around 73 degrees F.

 

[ABbuggin]

Great job Andrew!I was wondering how you keep them hot because in my house it only gets around 73 degrees F.

Same way I do for my gongylus. 60w lights. I have several, and in effect, the ambient temperature in my bug room reaches 82-84 during the day. I only use one light for a 1ft cube, but the light is 1" away from the cage.

 

[mantidsaresweet]

I would love to see some pics to give me an idea if thats not too much trouble.

 

[sbugir]

Hey ABbuggin, aren't those net cages made out of nylon? :huh: Because if they are, wouldn't they burst into flames? (exaggerated )

 

[ABbuggin]

I would love to see some pics to give me an idea if thats not too much trouble.

Ok, I'll take some for you.

Hey ABbuggin, aren't those net cages made out of nylon? :huh: Because if they are, wouldn't they burst into flames? (exaggerated )

They are, but they don't get that hot. I make sure the cage never touches the light. The hottest "basking spot" in the cage is at 114 degrees (yes, both gongylus and empusa will sit there for hours :blink: ) but that is no were near the melting or combusting point of nylon.