Thought I'd share my mantis mystery box. I chose an intermediate/advanced box.
In no particular order:
1. Phasmomantis sp (maybe a Mexican mantis). Not had one of these before.
2. Blepharopsis mendica (Thistle). Not had one of these before either.
3. Hierodula "Papua". I'll be totally overjoyed if he/she is a blue variant.
4. Popa spurca (Twig mantis). Not had one of these before.
5. Gongylus gongylodes (Violin). I had one in my last box. She was a pain to feed and one of her legs mangled and eventually fell off. Despite this I think she was my longest lived mantis. The new one is much more robust.
6. Deroplatys gorochovi. Another dead leaf but last time I had dessicata. She was a huge adult - I did not expect that.
7. Pseudovates chlorophaea (Texas unicorn). I had one last time but it died young.
No Orchid this time but was overjoyed at the Papua. Sadly he had a terrible first moult (covered in my introduction post) and could not feed. I kept him alive with fishpaste smeared on a Lego brick. Yesterday he moulted and the arms look great. I'm not entirely sure it's a Papua though.
I think the mantises have been here for a month now. The Hierodula is growing the quickest... no surprises as she's almost always the first to find food. Thankfully she's still bright green. My last one turned grey!
The thistle is really cute and eats a lot.
I'm not too sure who is who of the others now but I'm sure I'll be able to ID them again when they're adults.
In no particular order:
1. Phasmomantis sp (maybe a Mexican mantis). Not had one of these before.
2. Blepharopsis mendica (Thistle). Not had one of these before either.
3. Hierodula "Papua". I'll be totally overjoyed if he/she is a blue variant.
4. Popa spurca (Twig mantis). Not had one of these before.
5. Gongylus gongylodes (Violin). I had one in my last box. She was a pain to feed and one of her legs mangled and eventually fell off. Despite this I think she was my longest lived mantis. The new one is much more robust.
6. Deroplatys gorochovi. Another dead leaf but last time I had dessicata. She was a huge adult - I did not expect that.
7. Pseudovates chlorophaea (Texas unicorn). I had one last time but it died young.
No Orchid this time but was overjoyed at the Papua. Sadly he had a terrible first moult (covered in my introduction post) and could not feed. I kept him alive with fishpaste smeared on a Lego brick. Yesterday he moulted and the arms look great. I'm not entirely sure it's a Papua though.
I think the mantises have been here for a month now. The Hierodula is growing the quickest... no surprises as she's almost always the first to find food. Thankfully she's still bright green. My last one turned grey!
The thistle is really cute and eats a lot.
I'm not too sure who is who of the others now but I'm sure I'll be able to ID them again when they're adults.
