Ghost Mantis questions

[Viking]

I am a newbie. I apologize if they is old info. I want to start a breeding group.

What age or sizer can you determine sex? L3 or more

I thought green means female. The head is symmetrical and wider.

Males have head tip twisted to one side and narrower than a female. The color is tan or brown. True or false

Wings are L6.

How big is adult? How to estimate adult size juveniles have tails sticking up?
?

 

[hysteresis]

I had a hard time with ghosts. Maybe i3/4.

The Crown is the easiest telltale. Males have more kink and have narrower sections. Females have one kink at the Crown is wider. More ribbon like. 

I have a green female and would say that that's a fair way to tell, although someone may have had a male that transitioned through green. I don't know. 

I don't think P. paradoxa get much bigger than 2".

Colour varies from light tan to extremely dark brown (almost black). Both genders. 

Males have longer more prominent antennae. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

L3 is the earliest stage that gender can be determined. Wings are L8. 

The mantids colors won't show until L4-L6. Color is not a great way to sex as females are not always green, and those that are don't show green until later instars. 

For some reason I can't post an image, but Google 'How to sex ghost mantis' and you should get some easy answers. 

EDIT: Looks like hysteresis answered most of your questions. We must have been typing at the same time.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Viking]

The green one is at least L5. The distance from the 4 legs to the tip of her head is over 1 inch. I have two L4 both pale tan. I think one is male and the other I questions. The 6 L3 at least 4 look male to me. I am not a pro. I just bought a ooth that arrived today. I will get some to breed one way or other. I suspect that I can figure how to sell the extras.

 

[MantisGirl13]

Post some pics of their faces. We can tell you easily what gender they are. Your green ghost is female, because there are almost no green males.

- MantisGirl13