Thanks, you should see my mantis log then.That is great keeping track, Thomas! I figured that I will keep track of the instars once I have my adults produce ooths. I have only kept track of mantids becoming subadult and adult. I have a small group of young adults now, though one of my spiny females seems to already be calling in under 1 week!
Life is never boring with spinies. Though ghosts will not eat unless they are legitimately hungry, it seems that other mantises will bite the head off of any passing insect, whether they are really hungry or not.
Can't say I blame you there Jay. At times it seems I spend more time on my mantis log records, and backup calendar records, than time feeding them all even. Wow that is amazingly fast for calling, guess she couldn't wait.
Yeah I've noticed the exploratory bite or two from mantids and then they drop the feeders if their not hungry. Especially when several of my current 35 mantids do it, the wasted feeders can really add up.