Sarah K's Collection Thread

[Sarah K]

Well, I've been on here for long enough now, that I think I can finally get around to starting my own Collection thread! But it may take me a while to get through to everyone, as I have somewhere around 80 mantises in my care, including babies! I have about 7 species I am keeping.

 

[Sarah K]

I am going to start with my Carolinas, as they are who got me started, so naturally I have to favor them a bit. So far I have had two ooths hatch which I acquired from Thomas. Thank you Thomas! I have finally narrowed down my breeding stock from the two hatches (about 8), and released/ sold everyone else.

The first batch hatched 4/30/16 and are are somewhere between L4 and L6 now, and their color variety is really starting to show!  I am very impressed with the range of colors they have had so far, aywhere from lime/neon green, to pale green, to brown with green legs, and brown/gray/ black speckly! All were raised in the exact same conditions, so it is my conclusion that it is total luck of the draw with them and their colors. Unfortunately, only one of my pale green girls was cooperating for pictures last night, so here she is!

 

[Mantidaddicted]

I can't wait for them to come today!! Beautiful pictures

 

[dmina]

Great pics Sarah... Looking forward to seeing more

 

[Kara S]

Love the pictures. She's a regular Betty Page.

 

[Sarah K]

Great pics Sarah... Looking forward to seeing more

Love the pictures. She's a regular Betty Page.

Thanks guys! I wish more were so cooperative during photo shots!

 

[ashleenicole]

She is beautiful, love that light green color! 

 

[Sarah K]

My Wandering Violins......

 I have kept them under reptile heat emitters almost their whole lives (cages over 100 degrees F easily), and kept them communally, in large screen or mesh cages the whole time as well. They have done very well under these conditions.  I bought 10 L2s back in November 2015, and still have 6 left (3 females and 3 males), all together 7 made it to adulthood out of 10, so I think I did really good (only lost 3 in mismolts). Unfortunately, I am starting to lose hope in any of my ooths being fertile. The first few that were laid, were laid back in early April, and they've been laying weekly almost religiously since. NOTHING has hatched yet! I have witnessed multiple mountings of both girls, but no connection. However, I did not sit and watch them the whole time, so I am trying to hold onto hope for thier ooths.

 My older girls have been such great layers (I think I have about 20 ooths between the two!), but I think they could be expiring soon. They are starting to have a harder time getting around and laying ooths now. The one that has been the best layer was not even trying to put her butt down on a surface the last time she laid, she was just kind of letting it go in the air! So I am worried about my older girls a bit. My hope for successful reproduction lies most with my freshest male adult (from 6/16) and my freshest female (5/27). I hope when I finally introduce the fresh male to the girls, he will actually make a connection that I witness this time! But I do hope some of my other ooths are fertile as well. But even if I do not get any fertile ooths out of them, these guys have really been a joy to raise! So active (compared to some breeds), and fun to watch grow up too! Here is one of my adult males, and one of my adult females:

 

[Sarah K]

Just finally got around to getting some of the pictures I have of my mantises off of my actual camera, instead of my phone. Some really good stuff on there, so hopefully it will inspire me to add more pictures to this thread! I posted about my Wandering Violins already, but most of them are getting pretty old at this point!  While looking through pics on my camera , I found a couple close-ups of them when there were much younger! Enjoy!

Male Sub-Adult Wandering Violin:

Female Sub-Adult Wandering Violin:

 

[ashleenicole]

I hope that some of your ooths turn out to be fertile! They are beautiful mantids.  What kind of camera are you using? 

 

[Sarah K]

I hope that some of your ooths turn out to be fertile! They are beautiful mantids.  What kind of camera are you using? 

Me too! I will be sure to report it here if an ooth actually hatches! My camera is Nikon Coolpix L310.

 

[Sarah K]

I am going to start with my Carolinas, as they are who got me started, so naturally I have to favor them a bit. So far I have had two ooths hatch which I acquired from Thomas. Thank you Thomas! I have finally narrowed down my breeding stock from the two hatches (about 8), and released/ sold everyone else.

The first batch hatched 4/30/16 and are are somewhere between L4 and L6 now, and their color variety is really starting to show!  I am very impressed with the range of colors they have had so far, aywhere from lime/neon green, to pale green, to brown with green legs, and brown/gray/ black speckly! All were raised in the exact same conditions, so it is my conclusion that it is total luck of the draw with them and their colors. Unfortunately, only one of my pale green girls was cooperating for pictures last night, so here she is!

As of this month, all my Carolina's besides one are all grown up! I have 7 total, 3 girls and 4 boys. The girl I posted above is Ginny. Here are the other two girls:

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[Sarah K]

Amora:​

 

[Sarah K]

8/1/2016 Update: Looks like Ginny and Amora are gonna be proud mamas soon! I was able to successfully mate both of them this weekend! The males did not waste any time either, less than 5 minutes with the girls and they were both on their backs and connecting! I wish my Wandering Violins males could take some lessons from them!.. LOL

Two Carolina girls down, and one to go. Next weekend is Gypsy's turn!

 

[Sarah K]

8/4/2016 Update: Gypsy is mated as of today too!

 

[Kara S]

What a lovely family; Amora looks like she has lots of personality. Good luck with the baby hatching!

 

[Sarah K]

What a lovely family; Amora looks like she has lots of personality. Good luck with the baby hatching!

Thanks! Amora is my favorite of my carolinas. Her green color is so pretty! 

 

[ashleenicole]

Sounds like you'll have a lot of baby mantids soon! Congrats.

 

[Sarah K]

Sounds like you'll have a lot of baby mantids soon! Congrats.

Thanks! Hopefully everything will go well with the laying and the hatching of the babies! At least I can diapause them if I have too many ooths, or let them out in the spring, if I wind up with too many!