TheBeesKnees
Well-known member
Back in February, I had come across the glimpse of a mantis on the trunk of an old rubber tree. It was in my sights for about a fraction of a second before it darted off, never to be seen again.
Cut to yesterday; I finally decided to go out an find myself one of these elusive mantises. I scoured an old rubber plantation, and within half an hour, I'd bagged myself two specimens: one healthy adult female, and one...less healthy subadult female.
When I caught the subadult, I didn't noticed she'd endured a molting mishap some time before I found her. One of her legs was still stuck in the old (now quite weathered) shed skin--and the other leg on the same side doesn't display a full range of motion.
I helped free her of the large, unweildy chunk of shedskin that she'd been dragging around, but with two bum legs on the same side...I don't have high hopes that she'll have a successful molt into adulthood...
buuut, we'll try our best.
These girls are wonderful! I think north america has a similar looking species: Gonatista grisea? Well, here are the S.E Asian counterparts;some manner of Humbertiella sp.:
A beeeautiful species, with the adult female sizing in at around 1.5".
I hope the subadult makes it :< She's too lovely to die...
If I find that feeding isn't a problem with this species, I might go out and fetch myself a proper pair. Despite being extremely hard to spot, they're a fun challenge to catch (they're extreeeemely fast, with almost cockroach-like movement patterns)! It's to rewarding to even spot one!
I don't know how common this species is to find in the western trade, so I hope you guys enjoy these quick little shots!
Cut to yesterday; I finally decided to go out an find myself one of these elusive mantises. I scoured an old rubber plantation, and within half an hour, I'd bagged myself two specimens: one healthy adult female, and one...less healthy subadult female.
When I caught the subadult, I didn't noticed she'd endured a molting mishap some time before I found her. One of her legs was still stuck in the old (now quite weathered) shed skin--and the other leg on the same side doesn't display a full range of motion.
I helped free her of the large, unweildy chunk of shedskin that she'd been dragging around, but with two bum legs on the same side...I don't have high hopes that she'll have a successful molt into adulthood...
buuut, we'll try our best.
These girls are wonderful! I think north america has a similar looking species: Gonatista grisea? Well, here are the S.E Asian counterparts;some manner of Humbertiella sp.:
A beeeautiful species, with the adult female sizing in at around 1.5".
I hope the subadult makes it :< She's too lovely to die...
If I find that feeding isn't a problem with this species, I might go out and fetch myself a proper pair. Despite being extremely hard to spot, they're a fun challenge to catch (they're extreeeemely fast, with almost cockroach-like movement patterns)! It's to rewarding to even spot one!
I don't know how common this species is to find in the western trade, so I hope you guys enjoy these quick little shots!
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