Idolomantis - almost adult
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I hope you do well with them and knowing you, I am sure you will!
Best of luck with them, Tier! 
Hi
Thanks, Katnapper.
Here are the first adults, one male and two females, all moulted adult within the last 4 days. And, to my surprise, all became perfect adults. Another, third, female moulted adult this night, but was decaputated by the smallest larvae in the enclosure, a presubadult female. Anyway, as some of you know I have a few overplus females. So I am just very very happy. So far that means that all final moultings which were not disturbed by another animal were 100% succesfull. Wow, it's working as good as with Gongylus :lol:
regards
Thanks, Katnapper.
Here are the first adults, one male and two females, all moulted adult within the last 4 days. And, to my surprise, all became perfect adults. Another, third, female moulted adult this night, but was decaputated by the smallest larvae in the enclosure, a presubadult female. Anyway, as some of you know I have a few overplus females. So I am just very very happy. So far that means that all final moultings which were not disturbed by another animal were 100% succesfull. Wow, it's working as good as with Gongylus :lol:
regards
Pelle
Well-known member
Nice! Good luck with them
Cool plants in your enclosure btw..
Cool plants in your enclosure btw..
Thats so exciting Tier! Haven't heard of anyone getting this far without a lot of dead, U the Man!
Really? Because I hear that Mantisdeperu has apparently just bred this species, and introduced it to the world-wide market! Yo, for real.Forget it! You're all beginners compared to the ultimate Atlantoharpax daddy!
Thanks all.
I dont know the name of these plants, but I am sure its no "Dill". I will make some pictures for you soon. I found these plants outside and thought they are good looking for huge Empusidae. Seems to be correct so far.
But I am not a pro with this species, as I bought all larvae when they where pretty big already, like L6-L7. And I bought captive bread specimens in perfect conditions.
Time will tell if they will mate, if they will lay ooth, if some new babies will hatch and if these babies will become adults. So it will need month until I will maybe have the chance to say "I was succesfull". I know that it even needs two or three generation of breeding a species until you can say you know to handle them.
I will keep you updated, I am excited by myself.
I dont know the name of these plants, but I am sure its no "Dill". I will make some pictures for you soon. I found these plants outside and thought they are good looking for huge Empusidae. Seems to be correct so far.
But I am not a pro with this species, as I bought all larvae when they where pretty big already, like L6-L7. And I bought captive bread specimens in perfect conditions.
Time will tell if they will mate, if they will lay ooth, if some new babies will hatch and if these babies will become adults. So it will need month until I will maybe have the chance to say "I was succesfull". I know that it even needs two or three generation of breeding a species until you can say you know to handle them.
I will keep you updated, I am excited by myself.
spawn
Well-known member
Tier - good to see you're still keeping exotics! I know you did great with the Gongylodes, and I learned a lot from you. What temps/humidity are you keeping these? And are you only feeding flies or maybe some moths too?
Hi
I mainly feed flies, all kind of big flies, but mainly bluebottles.
Sometimes I went collecting Syrphidae, especially big species. And sometimes I recieved some hundred bees from my local beekeepers. But now, the summer is gone and autumn starts, so until next spring, only flies will be available and fed. I don't like these waxmoth, never had too good experiences with them. I would love to get some big moth, but I don't know a breeder and I have no traps for big nocturnal moth.
The temperatures are 25-35°C daytime and 18-22°C nighttime, I keep them humid misting almost every day, especially because of the final moultings.
regards
I mainly feed flies, all kind of big flies, but mainly bluebottles.
Sometimes I went collecting Syrphidae, especially big species. And sometimes I recieved some hundred bees from my local beekeepers. But now, the summer is gone and autumn starts, so until next spring, only flies will be available and fed. I don't like these waxmoth, never had too good experiences with them. I would love to get some big moth, but I don't know a breeder and I have no traps for big nocturnal moth.
The temperatures are 25-35°C daytime and 18-22°C nighttime, I keep them humid misting almost every day, especially because of the final moultings.
regards
I went on a walk and I found the exact same plant on a field not far away from my house. I also found a drunken bum lying in the grass! When he saw me, he immediatelly started screaming at me and soon he was chasing me! Luckily, my slow paced walk was still faster than his petty attempts at running. Man, that was some creepy stuff...
By the way - my first adult molted with no problems. But I guess it will take like a good week for colors to kick in.
TIER!
I have to reiterate your sentiments about waxmoths! People laugh at me when I say it's a really bad feeder insect, but it is true! Especially with Empusidae. I was doing phenomenal with Idolomorpha, but when I started feeding them with large waxmoths, they suddenly turned infertile. The same went for P. wahlbergii, B. mendica and various other species.
By the way - my first adult molted with no problems. But I guess it will take like a good week for colors to kick in.
TIER!
I have to reiterate your sentiments about waxmoths! People laugh at me when I say it's a really bad feeder insect, but it is true! Especially with Empusidae. I was doing phenomenal with Idolomorpha, but when I started feeding them with large waxmoths, they suddenly turned infertile. The same went for P. wahlbergii, B. mendica and various other species.
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spawn
Well-known member
Haha. Thanks for sharing guys. I've never really gotten into waxmoths, but people in the frog trade seem to like them (very few, but no 'weird' stories like yours). Could it have anything to do with the wax worm meal being pretty close to wet cardboard LOL??!
*Edit: by the way, how are you guys attaining such high temps during the day? Just curious because last time I kept something that needed it this warm was Gongylodes, and I used a ceramic lamp, and in the basking areas it got up to 108 Fahrenheit (42C?), but I almost think it was too hot because although the mantids were active, they seemed to be in a 'hot' zone under the lamp and never mated properly. What watt lamps are you using? How close to the top of the enclosure? Or are you heating the room?? I have much to learn from you guys, as I've been out of the mantis art for a year or so now, and I'm rusty.. <_<
*Edit: by the way, how are you guys attaining such high temps during the day? Just curious because last time I kept something that needed it this warm was Gongylodes, and I used a ceramic lamp, and in the basking areas it got up to 108 Fahrenheit (42C?), but I almost think it was too hot because although the mantids were active, they seemed to be in a 'hot' zone under the lamp and never mated properly. What watt lamps are you using? How close to the top of the enclosure? Or are you heating the room?? I have much to learn from you guys, as I've been out of the mantis art for a year or so now, and I'm rusty.. <_<
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I actually use just one lamp (not just the bulb, there's metal funnel thingy around it), usually 60W, for about one square meter. Plus, I place one 9-13W lamp inside the enclosure, just to have more light inside. The other part of the enclosure is darker/colder one - apparently, it's the home of the dark side of the force, and some nymphs like it.
