Hello all!

[Mieske]

New here. I haven't taken a pet yet. However, there's a mantis that has hung around my front doorway for a while, changing color, getting fat

I've always been fascinated with these guys. Starting with a little tiny green one from years back that kept climbing on me and running around, up to the top of my head, and then down to my chest and arms. I was trying to work, so I kept setting him/her down, but that baby kept trying to play and climbing back on me. I kept thinking how smart this thing was.

Anywho, so this (other) mantis is outside right now just getting fat off the hundreds of moths that come to my porch at night. I called it Max. Not sure of gender. Say hi to Max, all!

Greatful to be here

 

[CosbyArt]

Hello and welcome to the forum

The mantid in your photos is a adult female Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina). The middle photo she looks like she is gravid (ready to lay a ooth (egg sac)), but in the last photo she either already laid a ooth or the photo was taken before the other.

 

[Mieske]

Yes, the bottom photo was first. Thanks for letting me know she's female She's been out there for 2 weeks. I swear she was green in the beginning, but maybe that was another one? Anyways, I haven't seen her in the past 2 hours. But she disappears like that sometimes. My roomy swares he saw a shedded skin, but he might be pulling my leg. Not sure they do that. Again, thanks for filling me in on the info.

 

[CosbyArt]

They can look completely different after molting, so it may be the same one but no way to know. The female in the photos is adult (has wings) and once they are adult they no longer molt. The exuviae (shed skin) could have been from her last molt (likely a few weeks ago or longer) or from another mantid.

Carolina mantises make great pets, but if you want to try something else leave her be as she appears quite happy there catching moths. I'm not sure of your location, but in about a month they die off outside for the year - the first frost kills most of them, and any remaining die after a few more frosty nights. If however though she is brought inside as a pet she should live several more months (likely passing in January or February).

 

[Mieske]

I had already decided to leave her be. I just wanted to watch her. But, very interested in having one as a pet.

 

[CosbyArt]

I had already decided to leave her be. I just wanted to watch her. But, very interested in having one as a pet.

My first mantid was a Carolina I rescued from a winter freeze, and was a great start.

 

[Rick]

Welcome

 

[Mieske]

^Thanks!

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She didn't come back last night. It was storming though.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Aw, welcome anyways

 

[Mieske]

I found her! She's apparently been in the bushes right next to the front door

 

[Flidais]

Welcome!

Maybe getting ready to lay that ooth... Very neat!  

They are great as pets!  Fairly low maintenance depending on what you want.  If you find her ooth after she lays, you can put it in a pop-up cage and save a nymph or two after hatching.  The other pages in the forum have awesome info on what you need from start to finish!

 

[Mieske]

Thanks! I'll definitely look for her ooth if possible. I'll have to do some reading here on taking care of nymphs if I do get that fortunate.

 

[Flidais]

?. We don't have them in the wild here, so very cool to see these pics, hear the stories!  Good luck, hope you find it!

 

[Mieske]

Thank you!