Favorite species?

[ausar318]

It’s been a couple years since this question has been asked, and I was wondering what everyone is into these days. So I’m wondering what your most absolute favorite mantis species is, and why. 

Personally, I think that pseudocreobotra wahlbergii are my favorite. I recently got a few from Yen, and I can get over how cool they are. They are beautiful, very animated, and they like watching things. They’re also really aggressive with food. They don’t hesitate to take on food that’s just as big as they are!

So what is your favorite? If you had only one species, what would it be?

 

[Mantis Lady]

Difficult question. I have had a few, but every species I had/have, had something special. Think I need to think longer what my favo species is.?

 

[Synapze]

Ah... I love this type of disussion, but I can't narrow it down! This is as simple as I can make it. ?

#1 was T. sinensis. Twiggy will probably make my eyes water a teensy bit when she leaves me. Chinese mantids are falling from the top of my favorite species list. 

#2 Every specimen from Panterra has been flawless and healthy. I'd trust Sarah to pick a mantis out for me, sight unseen... regardless of specimen.

#3 is a complicated 7-way Tie - My dead leaf from Peter Clausen is a "friendly" brave little fellow who's quickly growing on me. The 6 Creobroter pictipennis I got from Yen are wonderful  (particularly 4 of 6... she's practically fairy-like) and may possibly be inching up to the top of my list of favorite species.

Dang... I forgot about the 3 Pseudocreobotras ocellata from DeShawn. Beautiful!

Who am I kidding.... this question is way too complicated and near impossible for me to answer, so I'll stop trying. ?

 

[PowerHobo]

This is hard to say, for the reasons others have said, but if I had to pick a favorite among my current specimens, I'd have to say my Deroplatys lobata is probably my favorite. He/she is fearless, and active in hunting food (plus great taking hand feeding), and looks more amazing with every molt.

My favorite definitely used to be my Rhombodera megaera (who just molted to L7 this morning), but she's become much more reserved and somewhat skittish since L5. She's still absolutely gorgeous.

 

[MantisGirl13]

My favorite species a the moment is Phyllocrania paradoxa. I am breeding them, and I love their personalities! They are so adorable in their first few instars, and they look so interesting! I currently have 4 L3s, 2 L2s, and 3 adults of this species.

- MantisGirl13

 

[River Dane]

Of the ones I’ve kept, I have to say I’ve loved my Deroplatys, both desiccata and truncata. Haven’t had lobata yet, though. I also love my Stagmomantis, Dana. Since I don’t really breed mantids, she’s the first and only mantis I’ve raised since L1, and now she’s subadult. Hopefully I can get her to mature and mate before the males die off. 

Of all mantids I know of, most boxer mantids have a special place in my heart, but I prefer the ones without the cones on their heads. Choeradodis sp. are also some dream mantids of mine, pretty much since I first found out about their existence. And finally I might actually be able to get both of these, but we’ll see. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

I think the most special one is Cochise, because she was my first mantis. She had a great personallity (hierodula membranacea)

 

[Synapze]

@River Dane If your future D. lobata has the same temperament as mine, you're in for a treat. 

 

[kwright]

I've only had 3 species so far. The tendora sinesis. I had 6, but they all died at their first molts. One mantis religiosa. He's an adult now, but he's so antsy and defense I'm not a big fan anymore. And I currently have 3 hierodula membranacea L3s. They are so cute! And they are just full of personality. One of them tilts its head so far to the side while it looks at you it nearly touches the ground with its head.

I think, of them, the Hierodula mem. are my favorites. Lots of energy. Voracious eaters. I actually had to remove the FF from one enclosure because the nymph wouldn't stop eating and I was worried it would cause a rupture. They are very fun to watch. Tendora sin. comes in second as I got very attached to one of the nymphs before he died and I cried when he did. And the religiosa is the last just because he's never been easy to handle and now I just can't. He's been a bit of a science experiment of mine, seeing his body's reaction to roaches I've gutloaded with various foods. I've been taking notes on his and the roaches reactions as I feed the roaches. Quick note: mantids love freshly molted roaches. Eats EVERYTHING including the legs. Nothing was left to waste.

I've included a picture of Jack the religiosa and the nymph, Markiplier, the hierodula mem, who leans so far over he nearly touches the ground.

 

[Jaywo]

I haven't met a mantis I didn't love but if I had to pick, I would say my Wandering Violin Mantids. They are just so social (I think). I have two adults that start to "run" around the cage top when they want to take a walk outside with me in the backyard. Both mantids are used to being handled and they go to my hand when I open the cage. I watch them walk around and explore a bit. It's really neat seeing them. I like their funky little swaying and silent grooming.