hcarlton's Mantid Photos

[hcarlton]

Yay! Gratz on the hatch! How long does an orchid ooth take to hatch?

- MantisGirl13

Supposedly, 5-6 weeks. I can't say with certainty yet of course since this is my first.

Also, though mantids are admittedly still a very small part of my focus, I have finally launched my own site and have the mantid sales page up! The Database pages will follow eventually...

www.carltoncarnivores.com

 

[MantisGirl13]

I have an orchids ooth and it is taking a month or two to hatch, and it has not yet. I'll check out your site!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

2 new female and 1 male European mantids have joined my wild-caught male, now just to get the females calling..

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Mantis religiosa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And I finally got in a male hopefully in his prime for the H. orientalis females. He's in the cage with the biggest female right now, and they're just hanging out (she's pretty well-fed, they're supposedly communal), so now just hoping he makes a move so I can get his paired with the other 2 as well. No photos yet though

And, the R. basalis nymphs have begun molting! Sadly, the hatch had a huge die-off, so aside from the ones to be kept for the next generation I only have a handful of extras, but hey, a few to sell...

R. basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

R. basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Ocelotbren]

That's too bad about the die off. Best of luck with the remaining nymphs though, and also with that H. orientalis mating!

 

[MantisGirl13]

Yes! Good luck with the mating! The R. basalis are adorable!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

Thus far, the male and both attempted female H. orientalis are very keen on completely ignoring each other...sigh....

In other news however, new arrivals! And they're adorable...5 Ghosts, 5 Panthers

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

So tiny, but already a very distinct pattern on all of them...

Tarachodula pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Tarachodula pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Tarachodula pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Tarachodula pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Tarachodula pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[River Dane]

Congrats on the new arrivals! Good luck with the orientalis.

 

[Ocelotbren]

Great pictures of all the babies!

 

[hcarlton]

And orientalis mating has been a success! The male was as stubborn as the R. basalis male had been though; took me attempts on all 3 females and 20 minutes of jostling to get him on top of the last one before he decided to finally mate with Miss Crooked Wings. Now just to convince him the other two females are equally worthy mates...

 

[MantisGirl13]

Congratulations! I'd be interested in some nymphs or an ooth once you have them!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

Due to the flop that was the P. agrionina ooth I got recently, I ended up being given the opportunity to acquire the female; hopefully she lays another ooth or two

Parasphendale agrionina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

The one child of hers that I have is doing well though

Parasphendale agrionina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

I have one ooth from the one female orientalis that I managed to mate currently, hoping it does hatch and that she lays more; the male refused to have anything to do with this girl and the other female though before he passed...

Heterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And I may need to mate this girl again...

Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Because her first ooth produced all of 11 nymphs (9 made it to I2) and the 2nd hasn't done much yet. 2 more laid so far though, maybe better luck there...

Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And this pudgy mistress...

Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Is the mother of mantids now reaching I5 (and that I have 3 I want to sell of)

Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And 8 new nymphs, as of yesterday, from the 2nd ooth. Disappointing hatch rate off that one, but what can you do...

Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

These are the one species I continue to have unquestionable success with though. 3rd generation fully home-raised now reaching adulthood

Elmantis sp. female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Elmantis sp. female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And, 2 new species that, fingers crossed, I have better luck with:

Tarachodula pantherina male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Tarachodula pantherina male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Tarachodula pantherina female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

They've already been through several molts here, and some are now tackling bluebottles already

Tarachodula pantherina female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And their color is amazing

Tarachodula pantherina female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

The other new species: Ghosts

Phyllocrania paradoxa female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

They are incredibly difficult to photograph, never sitting still for long. My special green female took at least 4 tries to get a clear-ish shot.

Phyllocrania paradoxa female by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And my solitary male was at an awkward angle in his cup. Hopefully he matures at the same time (or slightly later) as the females

Phyllocrania paradoxa male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Mantis Lady]

nice pictures again.

I am really in love with panthers. Do they need special care? Or is basic care enough?



Look those big eyes, I love it

 

[MantisGirl13]

 Yeah, I am with you, @Little Mantis! I really want panthers too! I just love their eyes and colors!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

Thus far they've needed no special care. Don't mist heavily, keep warm, and feed them relatively large things (they're barely over an inch long and taking bluebottles freely). However, my difficulties generally come not from raising them, but from getting species to breed properly, so time will tell.

Speaking of breeding, anyone know what it takes to encourage European mantids to lay their ooths? Or if it requires a certain time of year? Both my females are mated, one of them at least twice (maybe both), but they refuse to lay.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Thus far they've needed no special care. Don't mist heavily, keep warm, and feed them relatively large things (they're barely over an inch long and taking bluebottles freely).

Thanks for the info. I am thinking of getting one of them, but have more mantids on list i want to have

 

[MantisGirl13]

You should get one, @Little Mantis! I want one, but I don't know where to get them! 

@hcarlton Hmm, maybe try a different habitat or different sizes of sticks to lay on?

- MantisGirl13

 

[Connor]

@MantisGirl13 I believe @DeShawn has them on his website right now.

 

[Mantis Lady]

You should get one, @Little Mantis! I want one, but I don't know where to get them! 

i have seen them on a website of a guy that lives in the UK a while ago. Maybe I should ask him if the shipping isn't too long to my country.

 

[MantisGirl13]

@Connor Really!? Thanks! I have not been on his site in a few days. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

You should get one, @Little Mantis! I want one, but I don't know where to get them! 

@hcarlton Hmm, maybe try a different habitat or different sizes of sticks to lay on?

- MantisGirl13

They both have very different habitats partly to see if there is a preference (apparently not), and both containers have a variety of sticks and, in one, wide flat leaves to try and encourage them. Thus far, nothing.

Meanwhile, the budwing female laid a small ooth...