Hatching during shipment...grrrr

[trojon]

How do you gutload the flies?

Heard something about honey coating, but this seems as though the flies are sprayed or rolled in honey before feeding, as opposed to letting the flies eat the honey first?!

 

[yen_saw]

Just feed the flies with honey liquid for gutload. pollen/honey powder coating on the flies is done right before feeding the mantis.

 

[Mantida]

Hey Yen - how are the Idols? I really hope you can rear them to adults because I want one badly.

 

[yen_saw]

THey are doing fine thanks. I hope to breed them too. Hope to see adult on this batch by the end of this year, providing winter didn't get too cold here in Texas B)

 

[Mantida]

THey are doing fine thanks. I hope to breed them too. Hope to see adult on this batch by the end of this year, providing winter didn't get too cold here in Texas B)

Yup! And if it stays pretty warm here then shipping 'em around won't be too much of a hassle.

How long do Idols usually live? Are they like ghosts and live their adult life for a year-ish?

 

[yen_saw]

Yup! And if it stays pretty warm here then shipping 'em around won't be too much of a hassle. How long do Idols usually live? Are they like ghosts and live their adult life for a year-ish?

Sorry didn't see your reply. Yep lets hope it is warm here in Texas, Houston rarely stays below freezing point for more than 1 day.

Not sure how long Idolomantis can live, my guess is about 4-8 months.

Two months had gone, a quater of the batch that hatched out during shipment have blossomed into subadult. They are doing great and on schedule for adult before Christmas as expected. Here is a pic of subadult male (notice the extra thick antenna and six spikes on abdomen)

 

[robo mantis]

I Think you are going to do really good with this species

 

[Mantida]

I Think you are going to do really good with this species

Of course he is! He's the great Yen after all. :lol:

 

[yen_saw]

I Think you are going to do really good with this species

Of course he is! He's the great Yen after all. :lol:

Thanks, is too early to say i am afraid. Just enjoy the process of seeing them grow right now. I am hoping there is no detrimental effect from growing this batch too quickly. The batch from Germany was way ahead (5th to 6th instar) when this batch moulted into L2, but now they are almost at the same stage. ANyway, i am keeping them pretty hot at 90-95F, and let it cool down to slightly lower than 70F at night which is no problem at all as winter is fast approaching.

 

[joossa]

Can't wait to see them as adults. Keep up the good work, Yen. Oh, and sorry about your loss (the female).

 

[trojon]

Quick question Yen!

You know that tent thing you had your son stand in, what does it normally retail as? I was thinking of getting a couple for my room and couldn't find them anywhere?!

But I'm looking for it here in uk as an indoor tent lol!

 

[yen_saw]

Hi Trojon, the tent where my son is in cost about $75. It stands around 6 feet tall (not my 11-year-old son). Macro junkie asked the same question a week ago and i gave him the link as follow

http://www.livemonarch.com/store_enclosures.php

You can find all the dimensions there. I love their net cage, works wonderfully. I would have gone for the green house if it was available. Christopher is the owner of that site but i am not sure if he shipped aborad. Rebecca (Hibiscusmile) carries their product too, you ship abroad right Becky?

BY the way. took a shot at molting idolomantis, looks like it has great grips on thin branches eventhough they size seems too big for the tiny legs to hang on. But the one that moult on screen net only sees one last leg hanging on the net, dangerously close to losing all grips. Both moulted into subadult stage.

 

[robo mantis]

Thats good you will have many adults

 

[yen_saw]

I hope so Robo, i hope so

 

[yen_saw]

they have gone ahead of schedule!! I was expecting the first adult around Christmas but after just about 95 days (3 months and few days), i have my first adult idolomantis yay!

In fact, I have two of them molted out alright

Moulting appear to take place yesterday night, this batch seems to prefer molting at night, so a night and day cycle is required. The net cage with sticks attached to the roof seems to work very well so far for molting, but my guess is proper temperature and food play a more important role for their success molting. NOw i hope the next female will molt in less than a month. finger cross.

 

[joossa]

Very nice. Good job!!!

 

[Kruszakus]

Is it true, that stressing them can lead to their demise? I do not know if holding a mantis on your hand can kill it... not unless you clutch it like a stone...

 

[yen_saw]

Thanks joosa, is lot of work bringing them up to adult in the past three months but is all worth it when you see a healthy adult

Kruszakus, idolomantis does seem to get panic easily when handled but i haven't killl any of them from handling yet (hope never), they don't seem to like handling at all and always want to crawl out of my hand, which is why i can never get a good pic of them on my hand. So not that it will kill them but i would recommend not to handle them if possible.

 

[macro junkie]

omg they have wings..iv never seen them with wings how cool.

 

[yen_saw]

Yeah MJ, both are adult male with pretty wings