hcarlton's Mantid Photos

[MantisGirl13]

Green ghosts are about as rare as brown ones. (Not rare at all) 

What do you mean by 

at what instar can you tell?

What are you trying to tell?

- MantisGirl13

 

[Synapze]

What are you trying to tell?

Color. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

Ok. You can tell the color at about L4-L6.

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

I'd been given the impression that greens are less common than browns, though to what extent varies depending on who I talk to. In any case, 1 out of 4 means she's rare for me at least, and as bright as she is I'm ecstatic to have her. The color didn't really start showing up until in the last couple of molts so that fits...

 

[MantisGirl13]

Well, I had five nymphs, two were brown, three were green, so I don't think that they are really that rare, but maybe it is a genetics thing. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

I had a stick mantis hatch! Unfortunately it was small, with only 9 hatchlings, and only 5 nymphs still live on, so I haven't taken photos yet. Nothing from the subsequent ooth either, but the mated female did lay a third yesterday...

Additionally, I've lost one of my panther females, and one of the two males is flat out refusing to eat anything so I may end up down to only one, 3 panthers in total...

But there is good news: all 4 ghosts are now subadult! Turns out they're getting a bit bigger than I thought they would...

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

The male has wicked patterns developing, that the females do not possess

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Greenie is developing some interesting shades too

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Phyllocrania paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Mantis Lady]

your ghosts are beautiful

 

[MantisGirl13]

Congratulations on the hatch and the molts! Your ghosts are very pretty.

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

First panther to reach subadult (female)

T. pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

T. pantherina by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And, turns out my ailing male will probably not die, but he has suddenly become RIDICULOUSLY picky about his food (baby dubias only, not the bigger ones the others will take and definitely not flies...)

Also, 2nd generation R. basalis are hitting I7-I8, and I have too many females, so they're still for sale...

R. basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

R. basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[MantisGirl13]

Beautiful mantids! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Beautiful mantids.

 

[hysteresis]

Le sigh..... ?

 

[hcarlton]

The ghosts are going adult! Greenie is not looking very green at the moment though

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

But there's a shade there still. Might come back in a few days

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Light brown remains light brown as always though

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Unfortunately, there was a casualty...dark brown appears to have fallen at some point during her molt, so two of her back legs and both front legs don't work, period. She will still drink and might perhaps be able to be hand-fed, but it'd be a miracle to get her to live long enough to even think of breeding her I think...

P. paradoxa by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

The male has yet to molt though, but likely will within a few days.

And, still got one male and several female H. membs going strong. Didn't bother to breed most of them so I'm getting a lot of infertile ooths; ironic, the ones I do breed seem far more reluctant to lay.

H. membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

 

[Synapze]

Some beautiful Ghosts you have there. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

Beautiful ghosts! Greenie should get her color back in a few days, don't worry. I am sorry about the dark brown one!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Graceface]

Congrats on the molts! Your ghosts are beautiful ❤ Sorry about your mismolted girl

 

[Mantis Lady]

Gratz on the good molts. But is sad that your brown girl fell and mismolted

 

[hcarlton]

Brownie may not be an entirely lost cause; I was able to hand-feed her a couple flies tonight, so she could yet become a mother.

 

[MantisGirl13]

Brownie may not be an entirely lost cause; I was able to hand-feed her a couple flies tonight, so she could yet become a mother.

Fingers crossed that she can have some healthy babies!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hcarlton]

The male ghost is mature!

P. paradoxa male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

P. paradoxa male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

And, oddly, both of the properly molted females are a shockingly leafy green now

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

P. paradoxa "light brown female" (not anymore) by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr

Most importantly though: first successful pairing last night! Male was with the female "formerly light brown" not 5 minutes and they were busy