Hi everyone - what a great online resource! We found a teeny mantis on our wine glass a couple days ago, and couldn't bear to put him/her outside to die (Illinois - brr!). So I am now the caretaker of Merlot, the newest member of our family. Have learned tons about the habitat, and am feeding fruit flies and spritzing water daily. Ate 6 yesterday and put 6 more flies in today. Merlot is about 3/4 of an inch long. I know nothing about the stages (I really know nothing at all!), and am hoping I am doing the right things? He/she is kindof black...is that a bad sign?!
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Welcome to the forum, glad to have you! It's a wonderful hobby to get into and I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun raising your mantis. I doubt its color is really an issue. Try uploading a few pictures so we can identify it and we can give you better info on how to raise it. First tip is, you're feeding it a bit too much. Feed it every other day or so, and rather than misting everyday, put in a substrate and mist every 2-3 days. You don't want to create stagnant humidity which can lead to weak growth and sensitivity to changes in humidity. I just learned about this recently myself. Also, keep in mind that mantid will have to molt in order to grow. They do this about 7 or 8 times before adulthood depending on species and sex. Give him enough room to molt in his enclosure and be sure to not disturb him during the molting process. Don't feed, mist, or bother him for a day or so afterwards so he can dry out too. Enjoy the new hobby. 
Have fun!
Have fun!
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cloud jaguar
Well-known member
Hi etho, welcome to the forum.
Merlot sounds like an interesting creature - seems small for an adult and it seems odd for a mantid nymph to hatch so late. Anyways, I would be excited to see a picture of Merlot - sounds mysterious. Welcome to the forum, I am new to mantids too and there is much to learn here and a lot of knowledgeable mantid keepers.
~Arkanis
Merlot sounds like an interesting creature - seems small for an adult and it seems odd for a mantid nymph to hatch so late. Anyways, I would be excited to see a picture of Merlot - sounds mysterious. Welcome to the forum, I am new to mantids too and there is much to learn here and a lot of knowledgeable mantid keepers.
~Arkanis
Hi etho,
Welcome to the forum from a fellow Illinoisan! I'm in Bloomington... whereabouts is your neck of the woods? Anyway, glad to have you here.
Finding a nymph right now in Illinois sounds strange to me also. :huh: Hmmm.... pics! Let's see pics! And yes, you came to the exact right place for finding out about it and how to take care of it. Unparalleled source of info from experienced keepers, and genuinely nice people too I've found.
Welcome to the forum from a fellow Illinoisan! I'm in Bloomington... whereabouts is your neck of the woods? Anyway, glad to have you here.
Finding a nymph right now in Illinois sounds strange to me also. :huh: Hmmm.... pics! Let's see pics!
And yes, you came to the exact right place for finding out about it and how to take care of it. Unparalleled source of info from experienced keepers, and genuinely nice people too I've found.
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Hello up there, welcome to the forum, from OHIO! and all that is good info, but the fruit fly amounts is fine, eat 5 or six of them myself every day :lol: ...ha ha ha, really it is not a lot of food for it, it has probably been eating a lot bigger things ourside, so keep it up!!! ps Wonderful name for the little fella!
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obregon562
Well-known member
welcome from CALIFORNIA which is better than ohio! :lol:
seeing pics of Merlot would help!
funny, i just found an ooth on merlot grapevine...
seeing pics of Merlot would help!
funny, i just found an ooth on merlot grapevine...
I wonder where it came from. I would never ever find a mantid alive in the wild around here this late in the year. I'm curious about what species it is and how it got into your home. You should really post a pic!
The_Asa
Well-known member
Welcome to the forum!
Are you sure that what you found is actually a mantis, b/c it does seem far too late for it to hatch, and then survive in the weather.
Are you sure that what you found is actually a mantis, b/c it does seem far too late for it to hatch, and then survive in the weather.
i am up in rockford, illinois...but i have bad news (i am an idiot). i went to take photos last night and Merlot flew away. it happened so fast, and he immediately vanished! we looked carefully for hours and still havent been able to find him - i guess his powers of camouflage really work great . i did get a couple shots, so wanted you to see him. i am so terribly disappointed. i have been looking for him still, and leaving his habitat open with water in it, hoping. thanks for all your help, and i am sorry:
. i did get a couple shots, so wanted you to see him. i am so terribly disappointed. i have been looking for him still, and leaving his habitat open with water in it, hoping. thanks for all your help, and i am sorry:
That's not a mantis. That is a mantisfly.i am up in rockford, illinois...but i have bad news (i am an idiot). i went to take photos last night and Merlot flew away. it happened so fast, and he immediately vanished! we looked carefully for hours and still havent been able to find him - i guess his powers of camouflage really work great
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Hmmm.... well now I know what a mantisfly looks like!
