hcarlton's Mantid Photos

[hcarlton]

Latest generation has begun to mature, and a different color from their parents per usual here

P. paradoxa new generation by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa new generation by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And the last dies away; only time I can get wing photos. Plus, since she's dried this way I'm actually tempted to keep this one somehow.

P. paradoxa afterlife by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Mantis Lady]

You should do that. He looked nicely dried up on the picture.

 

[hcarlton]

The next bark mantids mature...

Elmantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr Elmantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

This, sadly, is the only nymph to survive so far, of only 2 hatched, from only one ooth that has hatched from my Creobroter. The female responsible for these decided to monch the male before I could try pairing him again with the other two girls, so no idea if I'll be having any success with this species in the long run now

Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

Is it considered being a Peeping Tom if I take photos like this?

P. paradoxa mating by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa mating by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And all 3 males currently adult

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

A visitor to the plants outside...one of several seen recently

S. oreophila "North Sound" x purpurea "Giant #1" and friend by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

She did finally pass recently, but before then this female unquestionably earned the title of my oldest ghost, sticking around long enough to "see" her grandnymphs

Phyllocrania paradoxa old girl by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa old girl by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And said nymphs, of which I have a ton

Ghost nymphs by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Lots of wild Europeans have been popping up recently too. One from a herping trip:

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And one of several that I've collected from the back yard, among the carnivorous plants (I now have 2 females, 3 males, and have another fat female now hanging around the plants again)

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

The 2nd female

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

Caught a male right at the end of molting

Creobroter gemmatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And the females are just about to be fat enough to start breeding soon. Hopefully this round does better

Creobroter gemmatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Shortly before our most recent storm, I found this fat female wandering about

M. religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

M. religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And then shortly after the storm, this male was found surviving under the plastic I put over the plants to keep frost at bay

M. religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sadly, he did not survive the encounter with the first of two females I collected...

 

[MrGhostMantis]

You see so many mantids, hopefully that will be me when my californica ooths pop!

 

[hcarlton]

Finally, after so many generations, the green ghost has returned to me...

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa "green" by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[MantisGirl13]

She's beautiful!

- MantisGirl13

 

[TheWrongCrowd]

love the name Mr pink for the Walbergii

 

[hcarlton]

Bunch'a nymphs...and I have a bunch of Elmantis hatching out and growing up this round too.

P. paradoxa nymphs by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Mantidfinatic13]

beautiful mantids ;D

 

[hcarlton]

Latest mature female

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Siblings make good hangposts, right?

Phyllocrania sibling stand by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania sibling stand by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

The Lazarus mantids are doing well

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Sphodromantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Flower mantids are maturing again too

Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Creobroter sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Creobroter sp. female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[hcarlton]

Still not sure what species they are exactly...but turns out I have one Lazarus:

Sphodromantis sp. male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And 6 females in his harem! Only one has matured green (and she matured really early):

Sphodromantis sp. female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And all the others turned brown. I hope Lazarus can survive being paired with them all...

Sphodromantis sp. female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Mantis Lady]

Your mantids look beautiful.

 

[hcarlton]

So, due to the cost of raising these guys, and my current limitations...I'm going to be phasing out keeping them for a while. Which means I have 4 adult Giant African females (one mated, and confirmed fertile today as a TON of nymphs came out of the ooth she laid), several Elmantis sp. bark mantis females, their ooths, and some nymphs, and a few ghost nymphs that either need to be sold or will just live out their remaining days here.

I will however keep photographing the local wildlife that shows up in the yard, attracted to the plants...this guy ain't a mantis:

Harvestman by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

But he likes handing out alongside them among the plants

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Particularly the plants that bring in free food...

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr