Hierodula membranacea pictures

[padkison]

Hierodula membranacea mantids I raised from an ooth that I got from Rick are maturing. Here are some pictures.

I moved these into a subdivided 10g tank when they were prenultimate so they would have plenty of room to molt. Now I am wanting to place them into individual containers to control feeding better (the roaches moved around the 10g). Although they fit into a 32 oz and molting is no longer an issue, they seem cramped in that size container. Any ideas for cheap containers taller than a 32 oz that still allow good viewing?

The different colors I believe are genetics based. These were raised on the same food source at the same temperature and humidity and fed roughly the same amount. Am I missing something?

Does Rick or anyone else who has raised these have any information as to the relative frequency of the different color forms?

Yellow Female

Green Male

Brown Male

 

[Rick]

They look good Perry. Mine just molted into adult as well. I have two in a divided 2 1/2 gallon tank. Sounds small but they have plenty of space. I ended up with a green female, green male, and a yellowish brown male. I've had these several times and have only had the yellow morph one other time. Seems it's the most uncommon.

 

[padkison]

Pictures are bad since they were taken thru a delicup. I could see she was going to molt this AM when I checked on her by the way she had positioned herself.

 

[padkison]

Different female, same day.

 

[Rick]

Yeah I like their threat posture with the red. Did you see this thread?

http://www.mantidforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4787

 

[Sheldon Johnson]

Padkison, how long is that female?

 

[Rick]

Padkison, how long is that female?

He got his from me and my female is about 3 1/2".

 

[Sheldon Johnson]

Is that from the same blood line i sold to you a few years ago Rick?

 

[Rick]

Is that from the same blood line i sold to you a few years ago Rick?

No I don't think so.

 

[padkison]

I saw that.

I had gotten rid of all my Egyptians last summer. I noticed one tiny escapee on the window sill living off escaped fruit flies. By this fall it was about 2 molts from adult and I put it in a vial. Unfortunately, it had a bad final molt, messing up two of its legs. Became an H. mem meal.

Yeah I like their threat posture with the red. Did you see this thread? http://www.mantidforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4787

 

[padkison]

I'm thinking of breeding the yellow females with the brown male (he has actually turned yellow on the wings) and the green female with a green male.

When their offspring come around, it will be interesting to see if this selection had any affect on the offspring colors.

 

[Nick Barta]

thecontainerstore.com has a 197 ounce hexagon clear plastic container for $2.99. The great thing about this container besides the price, is that the 4 1/2 inch insect lids fit so you don't have to make your own (not a perfect fit, but it will keep the critters inside). Since it is 9 3/4 inches high, it offers molting room as well as lateral room for the larger species. After you get on the website, put in the item code number of 173010, click on "commercial containers" and three will pop up which all could house mantids inexpensivly.

Nick Barta

 

[Shelbycsx]

The lids from http://superiorenterprise.com will work, but you mention that the lids don't fit perfectly, will it stop fruit flies from escaping? Thanks for the post on those containers, I was about to ebay these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1

 

[wuwu]

great find nick, thanks! here's the direct link for those interested.

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Produ...amp;itemIndex=1

 

[Rick]

They do looked a bit cramped in a standard deli container. I use the 32 oz cups from superior with the matching lids. The lids have mesh covered holes and nothing escapes through those since the mesh is more like fabric.

 

[padkison]

I've got a case of these on order (the 83c model)

http://www.pioneerplastics.com/fish_&_reptile.htm

I plan on tipping them on the side and hot gluing in a strip of screen for larger mantids.

Terrestrial critters will live in it set lengthwise.

I'll post pictures and comments when I get them set up.

I have one of the Asian Giants is a 4x4x7.25 plastic display case from Michael's with a foam cork hole in the top and side ventilation holes. I put a strip of screen in for perching. The container pops in half for easy cleaning. I keep the small half on the bottom. Cost is $3.50.

 

[Nick Barta]

This hexagon container and the 4"x4" X 10" tall and the smaller round one in this series of containers all take the same lid. The fitting problem is that they don't "snap" as easily into place, and you have to apply more pressure and go around the rim a couple of times. This plastic is very heavy, so you can apply pressure without the plastic crushing like the 32 ounce cups. I haven't tried fruit flies in these and I would guess some might get up into the rim, but give it a try.

Since I use Rick's method of feeding and watering from a side hole, I only take the lid off to clean, so it's no real issue. Because of the thickness of the container, you can use a hole saw 1-1/4" to cut the hole which will fit the standard 2" foam plugs perfectly and you get no splitting plastic. These containers really give you a attractive enclosure for displaying the mantids. If you want new foam plugs,they can be purchased in any quantity for 35 cents a piece @ edsflymeat.com. (They have excellent 32 ounce fruit fly cultures and medium. When they ship to you the sides are already covered with pupae,lots of adult and larvae are active. At $10.00 and great packaging, it's a deal!)

 

[Rick]

I might have to try some of those containers. Would probably make the lid a screen lid and cut a hole in the side for watering and adding food.

 

[yen_saw]

Finally one of the male molted into adult for me, he is a hungry chap!