Helvia cardinalis

[sufistic]

Hello everyone. It's been 10 years since I left the hobby due to hectic family life. The pandemic gave me a chance to start again so I lept at the opportunity when I was able to acquire a H. cardinalis ooth. I've always dreamed of keeping this particular species after successfully breeding H. coronatus and T. elegans before.

On the 1st of December 2020, the ooth hatched out 104 nymphs. Some died off, some was sold and I kept and raised a good number to breed the next generation.

After almost 3 months, the first ooth was laid yesterday and I'm expecting more ooths to come from my breeding stock.

Here are some photos. 

 

[guapoalto049]

Bravo! Welcome back. I remember your posts years ago with some Toxodera specimen

 

[sufistic]

Yeah. As far as I know back then, we were the first to successfully rear a Toxodera bieri nymph for more than 6 months. Too bad we didn't have a pair. Also I've been busy breeding **** sapiens of my own. No time for bugs.

 

[guapoalto049]

The most impressive species of all! Congratulations on that as well.

Last time you were on, the Helvia may have been known as Parymenopus correct?

 

[sufistic]

The most impressive species of all! Congratulations on that as well.

Last time you were on, the Helvia may have been known as Parymenopus correct?

Yup that's right. This species has been a dream to keep. It's the perfect mix between H. coronatus in regards to its looks, and T. elegans in terms of size.

 

[TheWrongCrowd]

Thats so exciting! I love all of those species so much, and your set up looks really nice ☺

 

[sufistic]

Thats so exciting! I love all of those species so much, and your set up looks really nice ☺

Thanks. Most of my time spent in the hobby is in racking my brain to create proper enclosures really.

 

[TheWrongCrowd]

Thanks. Most of my time spent in the hobby is in racking my brain to create proper enclosures really.

I can relate

 

[happy1892]

Beautiful species!  I hope Helvia cardinalis becomes more common in the hobby in time!  The mantises in culture here in the US have changed since I have been on this forum like 6 years ago...  I was surprised to find out they changed the name from Parymenopus davisoni to Helvia cardinalis.  Also, I just found out that we have invasive Statilia maculata sighting here in Raleigh, NC back in 2019 (https://bugguide.net/node/view/1737648).  I used to raise S. maculata in childhood when my family I lived in South Korea.  Things have changed in the mantis world after some years!

-Nathaniel Long

 

[happy1892]

Thanks. Most of my time spent in the hobby is in racking my brain to create proper enclosures really.

Hello. Have you thought about buying screening to make screen cages for mantises?  Here on this website (https://www.mosquitocurtains.com/mosquito-netting/), the screening material doesn't seem very expensive.  You could make a wooden frame using a table saw to cut wood (I am going to try this because the construction wood is cheap here in America).  I have also thought about using the plastic milk jugs from the grocery stores to use as containers for mantises, maybe with screening on the milk jugs.  I am using plastic milk jugs as pots for plants right now.  

Sufistic, did you mate your Helvia cardinalis to their siblings?  Would that not cause inbreeding troubles?

Sincerely, Nathaniel Long

 

[sufistic]

The first batch of ooths are starting to hatch. 

 

[guapoalto049]

Awesome to see!!

 

[sufistic]

Three ooths have hatched. Help. These ooths come from mated siblings. Doesn't seem like inbreeding is an issue. At least not yet.

 

[sufistic]

Hello. Have you thought about buying screening to make screen cages for mantises?  Here on this website (https://www.mosquitocurtains.com/mosquito-netting/), the screening material doesn't seem very expensive.  You could make a wooden frame using a table saw to cut wood (I am going to try this because the construction wood is cheap here in America).  I have also thought about using the plastic milk jugs from the grocery stores to use as containers for mantises, maybe with screening on the milk jugs.  I am using plastic milk jugs as pots for plants right now.  

Sufistic, did you mate your Helvia cardinalis to their siblings?  Would that not cause inbreeding troubles?

Sincerely, Nathaniel Long

Hello Nathaniel. Apologies for the very late reply. Thanks for your tips. Yes my Helvia cardinalis pairs are siblings and they've been mated multiple times even before their first batch of ooths were laid. Doesn't seem that inbreeding is an issue for now. Take note that the original ooth they came from already came from mated siblings. I'm not sure how long they can be sustained in captivity without the need to add in new blood. But I'll be attempting to keep and breed this species for as long as I'm able to.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Very nice hatching you got there. I haven't seen the post before. Sorry I can't place you in my memory.

 

[sufistic]

Very nice hatching you got there. I haven't seen the post before. Sorry I can't place you in my memory.

Yeah it's been 10 years since I was last active in this forum. No worries.

 

[sufistic]

Most of them have turned L2.

 

[sufistic]

More hatches. This is from the second ooth laid by a female. Her first ooth was laid on the 25th of February and hatched out on the 23rd of March. This ooth was laid on the 12th of March and hatched out today on the 7th of April. Both ooths took 26 days to hatch out.

 

[happy1892]

Hello Nathaniel. Apologies for the very late reply. Thanks for your tips. Yes my Helvia cardinalis pairs are siblings and they've been mated multiple times even before their first batch of ooths were laid. Doesn't seem that inbreeding is an issue for now. Take note that the original ooth they came from already came from mated siblings. I'm not sure how long they can be sustained in captivity without the need to add in new blood. But I'll be attempting to keep and breed this species for as long as I'm able to.

Okay!  Thank you for the reply.  That is very interesting about how long they have been inbred!

 

[happy1892]

Hello Nathaniel. Apologies for the very late reply. Thanks for your tips. Yes my Helvia cardinalis pairs are siblings and they've been mated multiple times even before their first batch of ooths were laid. Doesn't seem that inbreeding is an issue for now. Take note that the original ooth they came from already came from mated siblings. I'm not sure how long they can be sustained in captivity without the need to add in new blood. But I'll be attempting to keep and breed this species for as long as I'm able to.

Hello. Are your Helvia cardinalis still doing well with inbreeding?