How to make a mantis fly?

[SneakyPsycho]

I have a European mantis that just got his wings the other day and I've been trying to get him to fly for me. Any suggestions?

 

[agent A]

first off it must be male

secondly they dont start flying for a few days, then any spook will make them take off lol

 

[crucis]

yep, IMO best not to encourage any flying yet. The wings might not yet be up to the task. Not sure if you've done this with him as a nymph, but after a few days you can take him out on your hand and get his attention by bringing your other hand close. When he begins stretching for it, move the hand out of his reach. If he's still interested he will sway a little, crouch, and then leap. He will probably spread and beat his wings while doing so. You can repeat the procedure by increasing the distance you want him to jump. There's always a chance he'll overshoot and fly across the room, so take care to shut the windows..

Another way I can think of would be to let him crawl onto any high, isolated, and exposed place (like the top of a pole set on end). Chances are that he will be looking about for a place to get to. You can wait for him to make a decision, or get his attention by holding something out at him. If left alone, he may just take off and fly in whichever direction he pleases.

All the best

 

[patrickfraser]

They seem to "fly" when I throw them across the room. :lol:

 

[SneakyPsycho]

Haha I don't think I'll be throwing this guy any time soon. He finished molting a little more than two days ago so I figured he would be up to the challenge. I saw him jumping from a stick in the cage and spread his wings as well. I get him out most days and he's really used to being handled. He actually jumped from my hand twice! I never made walking on my hands hard for him when he was young because I was afraid he'd get really jumpy and try to go for my face but he caught on. Thanks hone:

 

[stacy]

first off it must be male

secondly they dont start flying for a few days, then any spook will make them take off lol

I read this wrong at first and thought you were telling him to use a spoon to flick it to force it to fly lol

 

[Crazy4mantis]

My male creo flew once. He got stuck in my dusty blinds and I spent 10 min. getting him out and washing him off.

 

[happy1892]

Adult female Tenodera sinensis about three days after molting to adult. Watch how I do it. This is not really flying but a mantis that could fly would fly if I did the same thing.

 

[OctoberRainne]

If I put my spunky males on something and then put my hand out in front of him so that he can almost reach it and gradually back up,he seems to get that its safe to take off,they just wanna know they're in reach to land on something nearby I think,but some are more hesitant than others,so may take a few days for him to try it out,then he'll test it out if you have a larger cage ect. for him when you leave him alone

 

[happy1892]

Fat adult female Pseudoharpax virescens jumping around (they cannot fly!).

 

[Paradoxica]

All I have to do with my male ghost mantids is take them out at night, but that might be because there are females in the room. It's amazing how well they can fly, you would think they were flying predators like dragonflies or something.

 

[mantisboy]

You have to motivate him, play "It's Your Thing" by the Isley Bros and don't get stingy with that volume button. Then dance around him while extending your arms fully out and flapping them in quick burst, and don't forget to shake that money maker. He'll fly right to you......

 

[MantidLord]

I should've recorded my male euro flying the other day. He was flying EVERYWHERE after he mated. I would put him on my hand, and he would fly around in circles and start hovering like a hummingbird. He even flew around me a couple of times, it was awesome. Sadly he died the next day... My other male refuses to fly whereas this one seemed to love it. This is sort of how it went down. I'd put him on the tip of my hand, and with my other hand I'd nudge the end of his wings, and he'd take off. Then it got to the point where he would just fly rather than crawl.

And side note, for Europeans, it doesn't have to be a male, females can fly as well, however once they reach a certain point (egg development), they can't fly.

 

[Mvalenz]

yep, IMO best not to encourage any flying yet. The wings might not yet be up to the task. Not sure if you've done this with him as a nymph, but after a few days you can take him out on your hand and get his attention by bringing your other hand close. When he begins stretching for it, move the hand out of his reach. If he's still interested he will sway a little, crouch, and then leap. He will probably spread and beat his wings while doing so. You can repeat the procedure by increasing the distance you want him to jump. There's always a chance he'll overshoot and fly across the room, so take care to shut the windows..

Another way I can think of would be to let him crawl onto any high, isolated, and exposed place (like the top of a pole set on end). Chances are that he will be looking about for a place to get to. You can wait for him to make a decision, or get his attention by holding something out at him. If left alone, he may just take off and fly in whichever direction he pleases.

All the best

This is the best way to start getting them to fly. Some mantids are more brave than others. One thing I noticed with my males is that once they figure out they can fly they will a lot.