Menage a Mantis

[JPF]

here is the very pretty , colorful female stigomantis californica ive been hand feeding in my neglected basil plants with Two way smaller males on her back! one's been coupled with her for at least 12 hrs. and last time i checked the smallest male had either gone for smokes (sry! i'll leave comedy to the Professionals!) or was an in-between snack or got boredbeing third wheel and split! I wonder if she'll lay her egg cases in the garden OR try and spread them out more?.. on another note the little crippled 'Californica ' i rescued from pool, molted and is most definitely a male but he can't seem to catch flies with just the one front leg! really want to release him so he can have some fun before summers over! cheers from Burbankia -JP

 

[Crazy4mantis]

Im'a steal yo girl

 

[Rick]

Reminds me of this time many years ago I came across this adult female Tenodera that had no less than 6 male S. carolina's riding on her back.

 

[happy1892]

They seem to be S. limbata although I am not 100% certain about the female.

 

[JPF]

I think the flash distorted colours because to my uneducated eye she doesn't look like any picture i've seen of 'Limbata' ...she has blue-ish purple bands along with dapple black on grey-brown camouflage haha

There are several large green female 'Limbata' or ' Californicas' around the back and the way their wings tuck onto the back looks different to me but i only am using a magnifying glass and a not great camera , cheers -jp