Idolomantis Diabolica

[ellroy]

Ah right, yes it can be a worrying time, especially near the final moult. As long as you provide the right conditions the rest is up to them. Unfortunately we all lose mantids when they decide to moult an inch off the ground!

 

[Luke]

Heres some blurry pictures of them mating!

 

[Ian]

Congrats Luke! You are now the third person to manage to mate their Idolos on the forum

Nice work, let us know how things go.

 

[Asa]

Those pictures look fantastic, not blurry!

 

[robo mantis]

Its looks like a good mate.

 

[swoosh]

Great Photos Luke!

Nice mantis as well.

 

[chris_photo]

How difficult is it to get this species in the USA?

What is the average price for nymphs? How about subadults and adults?

 

[Morpheus uk]

Thought i`d posted some of mine earlier, here they are anyway

 

[robo mantis]

Is there a certain way to get them to turn green?

 

[Asa]

There so pretty, *sigh*

 

[Birdfly]

Is there a certain way to get them to turn green?

They turn green about 3 - 4 days after the final moult.

Below 24 - 48 hours after

Another 48 hours...

 

[robo mantis]

Thanks Birdfly!!!

 

[yen_saw]

Gary that was a very nice shot, looks good on cover page of National Geographic!!

Here is one of the two ootheca i have traded, i hope to get a chance (if the ootheca hatch) to pick your brain on rearing this species Gary.

 

[spawn]

Wow. Definitely gorgeous mantids. Awesome pictures too. My Violin Mantids had a tough time molting, and they're only L4 going onto L5. I currently have one that just molted to L5, and its thorax is bent completely over into a C shape. Still alive and kicking, but I don't think he can eat!

 

[RodG]

Spawn, try feeding it anyway as I had two violin nymphs that had the same thing happen. (not quite a C though) The next molt took care of the bend and I raised them both to maturity

 

[RodG]

Yen, best of luck with those ooths!!! I can't wait for a progress report

 

[spawn]

Okay, that's encouraging. I surround the guys with small flies (not too many to hurt them), so the option is still there to eat, and the container is small enough that the recurring option passes them by very often. His leg is also mangled. I hope the next molt fixes both issues .

Edit 6/17*: I fed my mangled mantid via foreceps two small flies. He grabbed onto them and chewed on them for a good while, so I guess he's not a goner! I would love it if he recovered. One of my other one has limp legs, however. Do the Idolomantis have these problems too? Is it just a symptom of a forthcoming shed, the loss of use of one or more legs. I see this one mantid having all four legs gripping the wood, yet the body leaning to one side on the wood, like it can't support itself properly in the upright position. Is this normal?

 

[yen_saw]

Yen, best of luck with those ooths!!! I can't wait for a progress report

Thanks Rod, give me all your luck i will need it

 

[Asa]

Nice avatar Spawn. I hope your violins recover too.

 

[spawn]

Thanks. Two of them died past two days. I don't know why, but I think it may be because the temperatures weren't high enough, or too much humidity. However, the one with the 90 degree bend in the thorax from the mismolt is still living and eating!