How many mantids do you have?

[Synapze]

I'm curious, how many mantids does everyone have? If you feel like sharing, a species list would be interesting as well. I know there are a lot of ghost and orchid fans here!

 

[Nicolas]

Uhhh, I have none but two at the same time if it makes sense. I ordered two Chinese mantids last Thursday but they haven't shipped yet, so I don't know if that applies as having mantids or not   Not sure if I'd count them on their way either? I have no idea how long they take to ship, but we'll see.

The most I had at a time was three - Two Giant Asian Mantids and one Stick Mantis. Sadly the stick didn't last very long. I also had two wild caught Iris Oratoria's that I mated. 

How many do you have? 

 

[lovemymantisfriends]

Hi!  This is an interesting topic!  I am curious what all everyone has and what is your favorite?!?

I have 3 ghost mantids (L4 i believe)-These so far are my favorite, I cannot wait until they get a bit bigger!

14 Chinese mantids (L1 and L2s)  I my sons each pick 1 to keep and decorate their own habitat (currently army men and flowers are the decor).  I am giving one away to a coworker for a pet, and raising a few more (haven't decided what I am doing with them just yet)

2  containers of chinese mantids that recently hatched (will be sharing with neighbors for their gardens)

On the way:

1 Heirodula Majestica (giant rainforest)

1 Sphodromantis Lineola (giant african)

 

[Synapze]

I love Chinese mantids! Some think they're boring, but I think they're awesome and highly underrated. I have 3 and I'm currently raising 16. I won't be keeping those... or at least most of them. ?

I currently have 11:

2 Carolinas (probably won't keep these two)

3 Chinese

1 African Lined

1 Giant Shield

2 Giant Asians 

1 Giant Green Congo

If the 3 Chinese and the 2 Asian Giants weren't so calm and "friendly", I'd have my hands full. I have one Chinese mantid that barely needs an enclosure.

I order everything from one very dependable dealer, so whenever I order one I go ahead and add it to my collection list as well. ? 

 

[Mantis Lady]

8 mantids for now:

2 hierodula membranacea 1 male and female

2 creobroter gemmatus: male and female

3 Sphodromantis gastrica 1 male and 2 female

1 hierodula majuscula 1 female

 

[Nicolas]

I love Chinese mantids! Some think they're boring, but I think they're awesome and highly underrated. I have 3 and I'm currently raising 16. I won't be keeping those... or at least most of them. ?

I currently have 11:

2 Carolinas (probably won't keep these two)

3 Chinese

1 African Lined

1 Giant Shield

2 Giant Asians 

1 Giant Green Congo

If the 3 Chinese and the 2 Asian Giants weren't so calm and "friendly", I'd have my hands full. I have one Chinese mantid that barely needs an enclosure.

I order everything from one very dependable dealer, so whenever I order one I go ahead and add it to my collection list as well. ? 

mhm, the one I purchased them from seemed to be quite liked here (from mantidsgalore) - That being said, I dunno why it hasn't shipped yet. But It's probably normal. 

 

[Synapze]

Hi!  This is an interesting topic!  I am curious what all everyone has and what is your favorite?!?

Hmm... favorite. If I had to get rid of all but one, I'd have to keep my Chinese female. I would almost swear she recognizes me when I sit down at my desk. She always comes over and taps the side of the enclosure like a drum until I let her out. She likes to sit near one of the vents on my laptop for some reason. Surely she's not cold. She probably knows I'm the guy with the flies and that she might earn a snack or two by being cute. She just seems to have a friendly personality, either real or just my imagination. ?

 

[lovemymantisfriends]

mhm, the one I purchased them from seemed to be quite liked here (from mantidsgalore) - That being said, I dunno why it hasn't shipped yet. But It's probably normal. 

I had a great experience with Mantidsgalore.  Patty is really responsive  if you reach out to her!  I did see something about shipments not going out due to heat on Facebook a couple days ago.    When did you order?  Typically, breeders only ship Monday-Wednesday also (to avoid them sitting in the post office over the weekend).  

 

[Nicolas]

I had a great experience with Mantidsgalore.  Patty is really responsive  if you reach out to her!  I did see something about shipments not going out due to heat on Facebook a couple days ago.    When did you order?  Typically, breeders only ship Monday-Wednesday also (to avoid them sitting in the post office over the weekend).  

Thursday of last week. But that's a good idea, thanks

 

[Teamonger]

Far less then I would like to have :3 Hopefully I will get all the red tape finished with to get a ton more species.

Currently however I have:

2 Wandering Violins (9 month old ladies)

3 Ghosts (9 month old ladies) - ooths incubating!

20 or so Miomantis paykullii. Two of those are 9 month old ladies and the rest are their descendants (scattering of different instars)

The Violins are my favorite. 

 

[Synapze]

The Violins are my favorite. 

I'd to have a Wandering Violin in the future. They look so weird, but beautiful at the same time. I plan on trying Ghosts one day. I've never owned a communal species before. 

 

[Nicolas]

The idea of owning communal mantids is quite nice. If you get a large enough enclosure, you could probably put three ghosts in there; can't imagine how fun it'd be! That being said, I've heard that they are not 100% communal (more like 99%?) so you'd probably have to keep them well fed. 

 

[Synapze]

If you get a large enough enclosure, you could probably put three ghosts in there; can't imagine how fun it'd be!

I had an idea for an enclosure design that is both functional and artistic and could be mounted on the wall, something like a large shadowbox. I think they would look fantastic against a contrasting background. 

 

[Ocelotbren]

I currently have:

1 adult female ghost (just over a year old) - the last remaining of my ghosts I purchased last June

3 adult Rhombodera basalis (2 females, 1 male)

I am thinking of getting Creobroter gemmatus or pictipennis as my next species after some summer travels.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Right now I have 36 individual mantises and several ooths belonging to 15 different species. 

Orchid Mantis Hymenopus coronatus 

Ghost Mantis Phyllocrania paradoxa 

Giant Asian Mantis Hierodula membranacea 

Shield Mantis Rhombodera basalis 

Bark Mantis Elmantis sp.

Desert Mantis Eremiaphilia sp 

Giraffe Mantis Euchomenella sp. 

Camelomantis Camelomantis sp.

African Twig Mantis Popa spurca

Thistle Mantis Blepharopsis mendica

Violin Mantis Gongylus gongylodes

Indian Flower Mantis Creobroter gemmatus 

African Flower Mantis Galinthias amoena 

Congo Green African Mantis Sphodromantis aurea

Chinese Mantis Tenodera sinensis

 

[Synapze]

I currently have:

3 adult Rhombodera basalis (2 females, 1 male)

I have a R. megaera. I can't tell the difference between the R. basalis and R. megaera. Mine is L3 and I can already see a little shield development.

 

[Synapze]

Right now I have 36 individual mantises and several ooths belonging to 15 different species. 

Holy cow! Its a good thing you're so adept at culturing your own feeders!

Since your advice on culturing fruit flies, I've had nothing but success... I actually have a surplus. ? 

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Holy cow! Its a good thing you're so adept at culturing your own feeders!

It does help a lot to culture your own feeders when you have that many mouths to feed. I have several different species of feeders I am currently culturing: Red Runner roaches, Dubia roaches, Hydei & Melanogaster fruit flies, black soldier flies and mealworms...plus a springtail and an isopod culture for cleanup duty.

I do regularly buy things like bluebottle & housefly pupae, waxworms and crickets because I've found them problematic to culture for one reason or another...not that it can't be done, I'd just rather not.

Since your advice on culturing fruit flies, I've had nothing but success... I actually have a surplus. ? 

Great! Glad to have helped. Fruit flies are so easy to culture everyone should do it, it saves so much money. 

 

[Ocelotbren]

@Synapze I'm not entirely sure but I think basalis gets a slightly more prominent shield. It is fun watching the shield develop with each molt!