The Biggest Mantid available?

[OGIGA]

Awesome. You're contributing to the Wikipedia community :wink:

Anyway, I like large species just because they're large. That's what makes them special to me.

 

[Mettler]

I wonder why some people always ask after large mantids. Some smaller ones are by far more interesting.

It's just the appeal of having a massive powerful bug that can kick lots of ! I'm after the biggest mantid I can get, gonna try and get a H. Membranacea or a P. Guineesis.

 

[Asa]

It's not possible to increase the size of any animal beyond the natural boundaries set by evolution. You can achieve a size near to the upper range, but not far beyond it. Believing you can breed a giant mantis by feeding it exhaustively just leads to overfed mantids...Greets,

Christian

Oh, no no no. I didn't mean to continue to feed it when it was full. You can feed them a kind of 'vitamin' to increase their size. But you are correct. Eventually they cannot get any bigger. I prefer to think of it as other than evolution, but we had this talk in another irrevalant post.

 

[francisco]

Hello All,

We all like large mantid because of size,but most of us want a large mantis thinking they will be as bulk as an african or a MAlaysian giant.

One of the longest I'd kept were Heterochaeta strachani and Heterochaeta orinetalis.

I hade one generation of H strachani and that was it.

Now I agree with Christian, there are so many smaller mantids that are far more interesting than the larger ones.

Otomantis sp

Ceratomantis.

How about Metallyticus sp

For us Americans, specially those located in Florida, should try to collect some

Gonatista grisea and the rare Mantoida maya, the second one being the most facinating mantis (to me ) that we have in the states. No one has rearing info on this mantis.

I am sure M maya ooth will give you trading power or access to a similar exotic mantis sp in Europe and Asia.

Regards to all.

FT

 

[jmac27]

The 18'' mantid was really discovered. I didn't mean that there is a species that grows to this length. It was just one individual organism that grew to an incredible size. There could be several factors that led to this. It was most likely a genetic freak of nature. Things like this happen. It's kind of like giantism.

 

[OGIGA]

I'm really tempted to try feeding some mantises steroids to see if they would grow bigger. Sure, I might kill them during the process, but I still want to try. Maybe I will when I get a few good colonies going.

 

[Christian]

There was never any proof of a 30 cm mantis. It was maybe just confounded with a phasmid. Or falsely translated. There is no 30 cm mantis in China, not one specimen or a whole species.

Regards,

Christian

 

[francisco]

Hello ALl,

I agree with Christian, if it is a recorded specimen or a record holder, there should at least be a specie name acompanay by some pictures, even if they are black and white.

Another thing there should be info on where the specimen is kept at.

Not saying it can't be possible, but pretty sure 99.9% imposible.

FT

 

[Asa]

I think it is quite possible it is confused with a phasmid also. But I remember seeing enormous praying mantids in life and picture that were at least 10-12 inches.