question about sexing mantis nymph

[JSaff86]

ok i think i got a L2 mantis and L1 mantis nymph. Using a magnifying glass I counted 8 segments on bolth of them so i figured i got 2 males. Last night i read somewhere that with nymphs bolth sex start off with 8 segments and the females segments merge together later in the molting process to form only 6. Is it true bolth sex's start with 8 segments?

 

[agent A]

Yes it is true

 

[happy1892]

Yes. I guess all species or most can be sexed that way at L3 to adult and not at the 1st and second instar.

 

[patrickfraser]

An easy way to tell, with proper magnification at any instar is the last segment of the abdomen. Females will have a slit at the last sement underneath and males do not. It's easy if you know what you're looking for.

 

[Rick]

And a females last segment will be larger. Once you get the hang of it it is very easy. Obviously the older the mantis the easier it gets. Some species have other cues to gender as well.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I thought the title said, sexy mantis! :tt2:

 

[mutrok4040]

I thought the title said, sexy mantis! :tt2:

Lol!!!!!!!

 

[happy1892]

An easy way to tell, with proper magnification at any instar is the last segment of the abdomen. Females will have a slit at the last sement underneath and males do not. It's easy if you know what you're looking for.

And a females last segment will be larger. Once you get the hang of it it is very easy. Obviously the older the mantis the easier it gets. Some species have other cues to gender as well.

They are not different from each other at L1 and L2 in the segments but for my Deroplatys lobata nymphs at L2 there are slight differences in size but I do not know if the larger ones are female and the smaller ones are male .

 

[JSaff86]

alright well i hope i have a male and a female so i can try breeding. Thanks for the feedback guys =) maybe ill post some pics of them if i get around to it