My new Chinese nymphs!

[dgerndt]

Here are some of my favorite pictures of my new L4 Chinese nymphs I got last week. The quality isn't that great mostly because I don't have very good lighting.

Basking in the lamp light.

Watching brothers and sisters.

Getting a drink.

A scary encounter (for my mantis).

 

[dgerndt]

I also was lucky enough to see one of them getting ready to molt. My camera has terrible video quality, so I took pictures instead.

I was a little nervous because they chose to molt from a branch really close to the floor of the enclosure, but it turned out that there was enough room.

 

[dgerndt]

This nymph tried to molt the morning after I got them. The poor little guy was so deformed from the molt that there was nothing I could even do to help. So they became breakfast for my L5 Ghost, Dexter. I felt bad for him, but it's the circle of life.

 

[patrickfraser]

Nice to see they are doing well. I am glad you are giving them a good home.

 

[dgerndt]

Of course! You can rest assured that I will take excellent care of them. I love them all so much!

 

[patrickfraser]

My oldest chinese nymphs are sub-adult now and should molt to adult soon. Maybe this week! I ended up with 3 females and 12 males. I will probably just pick the prettiest boys to mate and release the extras. After the females lay some ooths I will release them, as well. I hear they like to just stay where you put them, as they can't fly, because they're FAT! I will place them on my plumeria trees which are starting to get leaves. I will also probably find other ooths around the plants, too. It will be nice to go around and visit the "ladies" in their new digs. The flowers bring all kinds of dinner guests.

If anybody needs any male chinese, PM me.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Great pics Deby, molting and birth are always my favorite I'll have to try the circle of life thing myself next time something goes south over here.

 

[dgerndt]

@Scott: Haha! Yeah, big pregnant females just kind of hop to get away. They're way too heavy to fly anywhere. My first mantis was an adult female Chinese, and she was so big that her abdomen would drag on my hand when I held her. It was all cold... it really grossed me out at first. :lol:

I'm probably going to release most of the babies from the ooth you gave me. It'll be fun looking for them throughout my backyard and watching them grow up out in the wild. I have lots of gardens and a nice little pond that attracts tons of flying insects, so I know they'll be very well fed.

Oh, and good luck with mating your mantids!

@Nick: Thank you! This was the first time I got to see a molt from the very beginning to end, and it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Just stay away from "recycling" sick mantids.

 

[Slinkytreekreeper]

Good to see pics of your babies, that's a big breakfast though, my ghost seems scared of anything bigger than his head.

 

[Ricardo]

Very cute and healthy looking! How long are they communal for?

 

[patrickfraser]

Until one eats the other. Then it's too late.

 

[Seattle79]

So, so tiny but will get so, so huge!

 

[warpdrive]

nice pics Deby.

I love it when they molt.

Harry

 

[dgerndt]

Thanks everyone! I was very surprised that my Ghost went for it. That's why I took pictures. The most amazing thing is that he ate everything. :blink:

It's kind of an experiment... I'm keeping them communal for the time being with plenty of food. Once they start getting closer to adult (probably one or two molts from now) I'm going to separate. They aren't very aggressive against one another. They all bask in the lamp light next to each other. I'm guessing that they'd rather catch and eat crickets that are 1/4 their size than a sibling who puts up a fight.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Many a mantis loose a arm or a head due to them fighting over food one of them just caught that the other tries to steal. I have to break up my Gongy from time to time or one will lose a arm or worse. There not trying to be mean but the sound of the freshly caught prey drives them to try and take it even when there well fed.

 

[alicenwnderlnd]

Good to see pics of your babies, that's a big breakfast though, my ghost seems scared of anything bigger than his head.

I thought i was the only one with "sissy" ghost... my chinese will attack anything! i have a male ghost that will run from everything! he's such a baby!

 

[dgerndt]

@Nick: Well it's a good thing that I'm moving my new Gongy (thanks again!) to my three gallon tank and separating my Chinese nymphs into their own containers today.

 

[Idolofreak]

Nice. I'm incubating my Chinese ootheca right now. Can't wait for the nymphs to hatch.