My first mantis

[thalassarche]

Thought I'd share a photo of my first mantis Xeno, a D. lobata from Green Oasis that a friend got for me. So I guess I'm proving how much of a newbie I am, since my first mantis is still a nymph!

They're rather addicting...can't have just one!

 

[mantid_mike]

Lobatas are really photogenic. Very curious species and they want to climb everything and everybody.

 

[sally]

I love the picture, so cute. I really like the D. lobatas. Mine were really calm and friendly. I love how they wiggle when they eat

 

[glock34girl]

Is that a pre-sub? Male? Can't tell. Cute though. Great species to have!

 

[ToeChecks]

great photo! welcome to the addiction haha. i got my first mantis a month ago and now i have 12.... it gets ridiculous pretty quick! but in a good way!

 

[Digger]

Very cute. These seem to be a bit similar to P. affinis in their personalities (not to mention wiggle eating).

 

[thalassarche]

Is that a pre-sub? Male? Can't tell. Cute though. Great species to have!

I'm actually not sure! I don't know how old Xeno was when I got him/her, and I'm still learning the ropes when it comes to mantis-sexing. I do have some additional photos that might help with determining sex and age if anyone here would chime in and help me learn what to look for!

 

[D_Hemptress]

definitely my favorite species at the moment.

mantids im learning are like tattoos, you cant have just one.

 

[sally]

I think it is a male. There is a thread on here about sexing mantids.. I am relatively new too, I read the thread but I still have some trouble too...

 

[Canamantis]

Using the original picture it looks like a male to me. I have never owned deroplatys yet though. It doesnt look like there's a slit in the abdomen that would mean its a female

 

[sinensispsyched]

It's a male.

 

[agent A]

he's a subadult male

 

[hibiscusmile]

nice baby, yea, sub adult!

 

[BugLover]

I'm actually not sure! I don't know how old Xeno was when I got him/her, and I'm still learning the ropes when it comes to mantis-sexing. I do have some additional photos that might help with determining sex and age if anyone here would chime in and help me learn what to look for!

That first pic with him looking at the camera in the background is soo cute! :wub:

 

[thalassarche]

Thanks everyone!! I had a feeling from the segment-count and seeing the wingbuds, but Xeno's my only D. lobata so I didn't have the ability to compare features to other nymphs of the same age to get a better idea. I really appreciate the identification. And hopefully my photos were amusing/appreciated enough to put up with my "what sex/age is my bug?" newbie questions.