I found this mantis nymph on a roadside tree at Jalan Limau Kasturi, Singapore. It looked like Odontomantis so I decided to rear it to see if it really is. Is it really Odontomantis?
This is what it was when I first caught it. No idea what stage it was currently at.
After one molt. Its right foreleg was bitten and damaged at the trochanter in a fight with an ant alate as big as itself. It finally decided to chew the entire section from trochanter onwards off. I was really worried for it at this stage but it seemed to still be able to hunt moths quite well. It sometimes tried to make grooming actions as if the missing leg parts were still there.
After one more molt. The missing section of the right foreleg was still missing although the stub did show a black scarred tip.
Finally adult! I didn't want to disturb it too much as it had freshly molted maybe about 30 min ago so didn't get more pictures.
It's right foreleg seemed to have regenerated somewhat.
It's about 22 mm long. Is it a female Odontomantis? If I do release it back to the wild, what will its chances of survival be with that small crooked foreleg? Thanks!
I think its quite stablilized now so got a couple more photos:
This is what it was when I first caught it. No idea what stage it was currently at.
After one molt. Its right foreleg was bitten and damaged at the trochanter in a fight with an ant alate as big as itself. It finally decided to chew the entire section from trochanter onwards off. I was really worried for it at this stage but it seemed to still be able to hunt moths quite well. It sometimes tried to make grooming actions as if the missing leg parts were still there.
After one more molt. The missing section of the right foreleg was still missing although the stub did show a black scarred tip.
Finally adult! I didn't want to disturb it too much as it had freshly molted maybe about 30 min ago so didn't get more pictures.
It's right foreleg seemed to have regenerated somewhat.
It's about 22 mm long. Is it a female Odontomantis? If I do release it back to the wild, what will its chances of survival be with that small crooked foreleg? Thanks!
I think its quite stablilized now so got a couple more photos:
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