Plistospilota guineensis

[Birdfly]

Hi,

Here are a few photos of my Mega mantids this species is rapidly becoming a favourite of mine, mostly due to there large size.

Below are approximatly 5th instar, They start off very small!

Feeding in my greenhouse.

Growing on a bit

Sub-adult male.

Sub-adult female.

 

[jarek]

very nice I had pair once, are you going to breed them?

 

[Birdfly]

Yeah, Well hopefully? I have one female and four males, So might be in with a chance of an ootheca or two?

cheers

 

[OGIGA]

Great pictures!

 

[jarek]

I have one female and four males

when they will be adults put all four males with that one femal I wonder what the males will do

 

[Birdfly]

Hi, lol yes thats a possibility? they aren't all the same age though, two of the males are behind by one and two instars, i will slow one of the more advanced males down keeping the oldest male up with the female. This will be my first mating attempt and so on with the other males when they mature[or at least thats my plan]. I have heard that the females might need remating after one or a few ootheca? If this is the case then i am a little bit better set for sexual cannablism, final moult disasters and remating, having four, staggered age males. Still a long way from hoards of twitching 1st instar antennas..

cheers

 

[Rob Byatt]

I've had these pics for weeks now, so it's about time I posted them.

I love this species, apart from the huge size (12cm), the colours are amazing

All of an adult female......

 

[Ian]

Wow, those nymphs really are beefy!

Good wing shot Rob, are the vein type lines on the wings more prominent than the average mantis, or is it just the macro photography?

 

[Rob Byatt]

Cheers, the veination of the wings is more prominent than in most species, but the close-up does help :wink:

These are not pictures of a nymph by the way, it's an adult female :wink:

 

[OGIGA]

Wow, very colorful mantis. Very nice pictures too!

 

[Ian]

So, the adult females only grow bud wings?

 

[Rob Byatt]

So, the adult females only grow bud wings?

Nope, as you can see in my pitures the female is fully winged.

No adult insect has wing buds, only insects in their nymphal stages can have them; they are developing wings.

An insect with wings that are reduced substantially are known as brachypterous, completely wingless insects are known as apterous.

Rob.

 

[Ian]

Ahh sorry, I thought you were referring to the photos from the first posts birdfly.

Don't Brunerria species (females) have bud wings? Along with the Bud winged mantids itself...

 

[Rob Byatt]

Ahh sorry, I thought you were referring to the photos from the first posts birdfly.Don't Brunerria species (females) have bud wings? Along with the Bud winged mantids itself...

Nope, technically no adult insects have 'bud-wings' - they are developing wings of nymphs.

That is why I hate the name Bud wing, as it is actually inaccurate :wink:

B. borealis has brachypterous wings. The wings are fully formed however, hence they are not wing buds.

 

[Jenn]

Wonderful pictures... the female is beautifully colored... You have no problems bringing them outside? They dont try to take off on you?

 

[yen_saw]

Cool! the vein on wings is very appearing.

 

[Ian]

Ahh sorry, I thought you were referring to the photos from the first posts birdfly.Don't Brunerria species (females) have bud wings? Along with the Bud winged mantids itself...

Nope, technically no adult insects have 'bud-wings' - they are developing wings of nymphs.

That is why I hate the name Bud wing, as it is actually inaccurate :wink:

B. borealis has brachypterous wings. The wings are fully formed however, hence they are not wing buds.

Ahh okay. Interesting

But, I doubt the "bud wing mantis" name will ever die out...although having said that, seeing many more people referring to Blepharopsis as "Thistle mantis"!

 

[RodG]

Great photos Birdfly and Rob!!! Maybe someday these fantastic mantids will show up in the hobby here in the USA

 

[athicks]

Great pics!

Is that a bee that one of them is eating though? Don't you worry about the stinger?