How far can a mantis travel ?

[Fisherman_Brazil]

How far can a mantis travel or how big the territory to survive?

My curiosity come from the observation:

one particular spot of radius no more than 5 meters where the particular mantis species Kishinouyeumde cornuta Zhang,1988 are sighted year after year, while most males are attracted by light and thus easily to be captured; To the contrast, female being captured only once since last decade.

Please advise if there is any method we can find out one female.

Any input is appreciated.

The picture shows the area where the mantis habitat.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I do not know anything about this but, the emperor moth female is used as a lure for the male, they are caged and the male will fly for miles to get to her. Maybe caging the males will lure her to them. Maybe not, but could be worth a try :wink:

 

[Dave_B]

I can't say that all mantids behave in the same way but the 2 species native to my area behave like this. The females I've observed seem to stay in a very small, safe area of our garden, just a few square meters. Like you say, males are attracted to light and to adult females and they travel but I don't know how far.

We hunt for mantids and find both males and females in grassy fields in which many grasshoppers jump when you walk through, especially those which have not been mowed by the time the mantids are nearing adulthood. We most often find them in knee-high grasses and on shrubs at that height but it could be that we are looking there, that they are also found in other places, too.

The females in our garden (rarely males found there until mating) live in the low ground covers and also hunt in the taller plants near them. Because it's cooler, we hunt early in the morning when the dew is still on the plants. The insects are active at this time as well as shortly after a rain. They are also active in the heat of the day if you prefer being out at that time, though. If the grasshoppers (or whatever food they eat in your area) are active, so will be the mantids. I've never seen a mantis at night in nature so I don't know how or where they hide but that would be interesting to know.

Good luck!

 

[yen_saw]

Nice pic Bro, i wouldn't mind retire in a place with such beautiful scenery.

My guess is male will travel as far out as possible to reach a female, so the question should be how far can pheromone released by a female travel detected by male, i think the pheromone could easily travel a mile or even 5 miles (or more) to attract a male.

The reason adult male is easier to capture is due to its mobility while female stay put within a small area.

 

[Sparky]

I don't know nothing about mantis traveling, but that place is soo pretty! :shock:

EDIT: hey guys, put this as your desktop background. Its sooo cool!

 

[Fisherman_Brazil]

Thanks a lot.

Foods and pheromone are pretty much the mantis are looking for.

I wish I can build a small camera mounted on one of the mantid back, so we can watch their way of living, and certianly offer an opportunity to find a female.

 

[yen_saw]

Ha that would be cool Luke my Bro. With your creative and ever innovative idea i wouldn't be surprise if you can come out with one!