I Found One *Updated: Pictures*

[tarpshack]

I'm so excited. I actually found a mantis "in the wild" today. I actually found it hanging around a dumpster near my work. I walked past, did a double take, and saw him sitting there on the fence. I went back to my car, grabbed my lunchbox, and ushered him in. So now he's sitting in my car. I'll take some pictures when I get home so I can have you all help me identify it. It's so cool. I mean, I've started looking around for mantids a lot more lately, but I hadn't seen so much as an ooth. And with the cold weather creeping in and the freeze a couple nights ago, I didn't have much hope for survivors. I guess I was wrong.

Stay tuned for pictures.

 

[Ian]

Nice work! Rather depressing that there are no native species of mantis to the UK. Sighs.

 

[tarpshack]

Nice work! Rather depressing that there are no native species of mantis to the UK. Sighs.

I didn't realize that Mantids weren't native to the UK. That makes it more interesting that collecting, raising, and breeding mantids is such a big hobby there. At least it seems bigger there than it is here in the States.

 

[tarpshack]

I've started looking around online and I'm pretty sure what I've found is a female Carolina Mantis. This is my personal attempt at identifying it before I get it home for pictures.

 

[robo mantis]

nice find mantids are all over ohio and not by me

 

[tarpshack]

This picture isn't really that good. I took a few and this was the only one that wasn't blurry. However, this one appears too whitewashed. Anyway, you can start getting an idea. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to take another picture, but I'll work to get another one by tomorrow.

 

[Rick]

Yep. Female carolina.

 

[tarpshack]

Since I couldn't seem to get a good picture from my camera, I thought I'd give my camera phone a try. The resolution is poor, but the picture is better in some ways.

Also, what size container should I be housing her in? I have her in a 32oz deli cup right now with fiberglass screening over the top. That's what's in the picture. Also, she ate two crickets last night.

 

[Rick]

That cup should be fine. Thats what I keep them in.

 

[yen_saw]

And with the cold weather creeping in and the freeze a couple nights ago, I didn't have much hope for survivors.

Nice find Tarpshack, is amazing how bugs can withstand the coldest weather and some actually live through winter.

 

[tarpshack]

What makes it more amazing is that mantids aren't designed to make it though the winter, at least the way I understand it. They're not supposed to. I've read plenty of articles that talk about how mantids usually die with the first frost. I guess this one made it past that, but I don't expect her to be around too much longer. Btw, I noticed her abdomen is still pretty swolen looking. Is this just the way the species looks, or is there still a possibility that she hasn't laid her oothica yet?

 

[yen_saw]

she will probably lay more oothecae, her abdomen will deflate soon after laying an ooth.

 

[Rick]

What makes it more amazing is that mantids aren't designed to make it though the winter, at least the way I understand it. They're not supposed to. I've read plenty of articles that talk about how mantids usually die with the first frost. I guess this one made it past that, but I don't expect her to be around too much longer. Btw, I noticed her abdomen is still pretty swolen looking. Is this just the way the species looks, or is there still a possibility that she hasn't laid her oothica yet?

They do die. Mantids do not survive the winter. Some other insects can though. She most likely has laid an ooth or two but should lay more.

 

[tarpshack]

If she does have an ooth or two left in her, will she be able to lay it in the cup or will she need more space than that?

 

[robo mantis]

if she fits in the cup comfortably then yes

 

[tarpshack]

I'm not quite sure how to gauge her comfort level, but she has enough room to hang from the top. I'd say the top is about one and a half times her length. So She doesn't have a lot of room to walk, but there's some. I just wasn't sure how much room or clearance they need when laying an ooth.

 

[Rick]

I'm not quite sure how to gauge her comfort level, but she has enough room to hang from the top. I'd say the top is about one and a half times her length. So She doesn't have a lot of room to walk, but there's some. I just wasn't sure how much room or clearance they need when laying an ooth.

Like I said. She has enough room. I house those exact mantids in the same cups.

 

[tarpshack]

I finally got some good pictures. I took her out and placed her on a tree we have in the house. These turned out the best so far.

 

[tarpshack]

She finally laid an ooth. I suspect it might be her last though. It was smaller than I expected it to be, but I really have nothing to compare it to. The following photos are cell phone quality. The second one is taken with a penny for size reference.

I'm now trying to figure out what I want to do with it. I'm not sure I'm ready for hundreds of them. I was thinking about putting it outside and letting the coming winter incubate it naturally, but are there are special considerations I should take? I just cut the piece of screen it was attached to. I may want to re-collect it in the fall and try raising them then. At least then I'd know if they became too much for me I could release them into the yard. With winter coming, that would be certain death.

Anyway... here are the pictures.