rearing Mantis religiosa nymphs in captivity for first time

[JUNGLEMANTIS]

Hi guys,

I am ordering some European mantis oothecae, and figure that I should try and rear a couple nymphs in captivity for breeding purposes in fall. I have reared many Hierodula membranacea, grandis, and Tenodera nymphs on numerous occations in the past. I have not raised mantid nymphs the size of Mantis religiosa before.

If anybody out there has had some experience out there, I probably need some advise here. I need to know about how much longer they should be in the fridge if I were to time them to hatch in late May-early June? I would like to know what food items I can feed to first instar nymphs: (can they take down baby lobster roaches or do I have to get fruitflies for them? ) Are they 'finiky' or timid feeders as nymphs, like Chinese mantids? I know that all of the adult and subadult European mantids in both Italy and here in the U.S. that I have kept and oobserved have all been pretty voracious feeders, both females and males taking big prey in proportion to their size.

Do they depend a great deal on high humidity levels?

I thank anyone for their replies.

-Jeff

 

[Exotic-Mantis]

Hello,

Keep the ootheca in the fridge until about 3 weeks from when you want them to hatch. Within those 3 weeks, begin to incubate them with a 60 watt bulb. Mist the ootheca daily. Hatchling nymphs can eat fruit flies, aphids, and perhaps the young roaches. I recommend seperating nymphs ASAP so there won't be any cannibalism. Nymphs are not VERY ferocious, however, as they get older they will become! Females often cannibalize on males when mating. Humidity is nott oo important. Spraying nymphs-adults once a day should do the trick.

(As for housing, keep nymphs in deli-cups and when older, small critter keepers can be used.)

Thanks

Eros

 

[Ian]

Junglemantis, I kept a lot of mine at around 25c, and around 20 at night, nothing coller than that, and they all hatched fine. Strange?

Cheers,

Ian

 

[FieroRumor]

Not strange, it's just that if ya warm 'em up a bit, they "wake" up, and hatch a bit quicker.

Then, they all pop out, and it's PARTY TIME!