My new pet

[yen_saw]

Greater arid-land katydid (Neobarrettia spinosa) or Red eye devil or spiny katydid.

Adult male

Adult female

 

[kitkat39]

How big is that thing? I heard they'll bite the heck out of you if you try to handle them?

 

[revmdn]

Whoa there!

 

[hibiscusmile]

That is one nice bug Yen!

 

[Vore]

:blink: That startled me when I scrolled down.

 

[lancaster1313]

That is beautiful, but it frightened me. Especially the threat pose on the other post.

 

[Rick]

Mantis food...... :lol:

 

[Tomato]

Mantis food...... :lol:

Yeah and what isn't? Here, I found an adult pigeon... :lol:

 

[lancaster1313]

I think that it can eat a mantis. How big do they get, Yen_saw?

 

[yen_saw]

The katydid is pretty good size and very bulky. As for how big it is, the pic below would give an idea. The Texas unicorn is close to 3 inches. This will eat any type of insects, including praying mantis.

Unless provoke (or hungry), this species does not bite. Someone on bug guide even hold it on the palm

http://bugguide.net/node/view/149500/bgimage

Although i wouldn't recommend.

 

[lancaster1313]

Pretty big for sure! How is the Texas unicorn doing?

 

[yen_saw]

Pretty big for sure! How is the Texas unicorn doing?

Not too good, can't even find the wing.

 

[lancaster1313]

 

[Peter Clausen]

oh Yeeeennnn...I want some! First AZ Unicorns and now these? I am seriously impressed!

 

[Rick]

That mantis would have been a nice addition to Bugfest!

 

[yen_saw]

oh Yeeeennnn...I want some! First AZ Unicorns and now these? I am seriously impressed!

Sure Peter. Plenty of eggs now. Hopefully these will hatch next Spring.

That mantis would have been a nice addition to Bugfest!

I have too many. Let me know when is your Bugfest i will send it your way.Feeding a mismolt adult female violin mantis

Continue to lay eggs

Short clip of the female laying eggs



Edit: The background chirping sound is the adult male N. spinosa calling song.

 

[Peter Clausen]

Very nice video! Was she actually laying eggs in that photo or just testing the substrate for a suitable place to lay? Good luck with hatching the eggs. I know Orin has raised them through the life cycle and wrote an article about it in his Invertebrates Magazine.

 

[MantidLord]

That's cool. I want to see it hunt.

 

[Tomato]

wow cool, i have read about how orthopterans stab the ground with their pointy butts to lay eggs but I have never seen that behavior. Thanks for the video!

-Tomato