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@gripen - I'll consider that on my next outing to the lake or somewhere similar.

@Bug Trader - Yea that's exactly why I asked, I want to do this right. I'll have to find a D. lobata care sheet or something. Anyone know where they are from or have this information already on hand?

 
Thanks, I was also pointed in the direction of mantidkingdom. I'm going to read through everything and question any misaligned info that I find.

 
Nearly finished with this for now.. I've got the nymph/incubator cage designed until I find some nice twig style branches to add to each of the cages for that matter. I've got all of the door frames cut, I've jus got to put them together and screen them in when I get off work tomorrow. I also glued some screen to the top of each enclosure to add some extra hanging room for everyone. I took a few pics of the progress.







I am hoping to have mantids here tomorrow!!! I'll make sure to get pics up asap when they get here.

Aaron

 
Great job! Can I make a suggestion from experience? Make sure there is no way possible your nymphs can squeeze behind that screen! You'd be amazed how they can! I had an L5 popa get stuck and I just happened to come home that day for lunch and got him out of there! I can't tell from the pic but talk to bug trader he builds a whole screen system that fits inside the tank and is siliconed in so there's no way anyone gets stuck and the screen doesn't fall on top of the nymphs. I've had that happen to, so just really make sure to seal that screen in there good! The sustem is ridiculously easy to build. I did it with the help of rolling rock lol also, What I do to move the glue and press on it straight out of the hot glue gun is keep a glass of tap water near by and wet my gingers to work with the glue. It's probably not a problem but you can never be to cautious, these bugs wedge themselves everywhere and anywhere that will make your heart fall into your flip flops! :)

 
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Thanks for the advice gg! I used hot glue around the edges and also used my finger to smear it down to make sure it sealed. I wasn't exactly thinking about nymphs getting back there but I was thinking I wanted it to be tidy. I'll double check them tomorrow after work. I finished the last of the lids and gave them a thorough misting to up humidity and get them going. Here's an image of the finished project minus the nymph cups that I've got to throw together real fast sometime. My mantids didn't arive today so hopefully manyana. I'm also thinking of installing a screen over a peetree dish or something to place in the cages, I had to spray the out of them to get humidity up to 70%! But maybe having the moss in the bottom will retain some of the initial spray. If I do go with the screen covered dishes I'll most likely burry them under the moss so they can evaporate directly into the moss. I do realize this is no sub for misting, just a helpful environmental tool. Has anyone tried this method before?



 
I have a heard a few different things. Personally, in three of my enclosures I keep screened deli cups of distilled water and it seems to help keep the humidity up. Also, if you go to Home Depot or Waly-world as much as I hate that store, you can get a gallon hand sprayer and it makes misting enclosures easier. I've heard of people linning trays with moss and water and sticking that in your enclosure. I personally kept getting a mold problem with it despite venting so I've decided it is the anti-Christ. Lol some people use natural sponges etc. but I think if you just spray the heck out if it you'll be fine. I have my lobata on humidity trays. Experiment, see what works, prepare for losses and don't let it set you back. It's a learning process but if you read and seek advice like you are doing, you should be fine :)

 
Yeah, I wish I would have made one of these setups earlier so I could have played with getting the environmental needs down pact.. What's this mold you speak of?? Is it from the moss? I wonder if I should boil the moss or something?

 
Kansant86 said:
Yeah, I wish I would have made one of these setups earlier so I could have played with getting the environmental needs down pact.. What's this mold you speak of?? Is it from the moss? I wonder if I should boil the moss or something?
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Nah, i think it was more due to poor ventelation on my part. Water had no where to go and I was too dense to realize that was the cause of the mold. Once I vented the enclosure better voila! no mold. But it's still the anti-christ for me. lol You know how it goes, you get a bad taste in youth about something and you don't touch it again. lol But try it if you'd like! I am sure with scree you have enough ventelation!

 
Yea I've also got a vornado fan running adjacent to the cages now so hopefuly it draws enough air movement!.. I need a few of those airpot socks, miniature scale of course ;)

 
Yeah, the HF's are hatched out well but these guys are still pretty small for them. I had ordered a wingless culture from josh's frogs.. might have been a mistake, it's already molded and producing like 4 flies a day. I need to get a better FF culture because I just used the last of what I had today. I'm hanging on to the one I have for now just to see if it puts anything out for tomorrow but i've got no time to get to the city to buy some locally. Help me!!! HAHA

 

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