The unholy communion!!!

[Katnapper]

Should I show you guys how I keep those little buggers?

Yes. Net cages?

 

[Kruszakus]

Nope, we don't have that stuff in Poland

It's crowded in those two enclosures, therefore I'm making another one...

I just have to cover the walls with some old curtains and it should be ready

 

[Katnapper]

Very cool and resourceful, Kruszakus! I'm impressed. Is that muslin with which you've covered the ventilation windows? Do you hot glue the fabric to the storage bin, or do you just use some sort of tape? Doesn't the tape come undone after a while of misting/humidity?

 

[Kruszakus]

I used both glue and tape - I had to improvise since all the stores were closed for the weekend, but it worked out nevertheless. In one of the containers gauze has been glued to the walls Moist paper towels are on the bottom.

I cut out holes in plastic with a red-hot iron rod - a bit time-consuming, but good ventilation has its price

P.S. The tape is on the outside of the container - so misting won't do a thing. Besides, it is not a good idea to mist this species heavily

 

[Gurd]

:blink: nymphs galore, they should keep you busy mate.

Improvised cages just goes to proove that necessity is the mother of all invention. Good work mate

 

[Pelle]

Damn :blink: Good luck with them

 

[Katnapper]

I used both glue and tape - I had to improvise since all the stores were closed for the weekend, but it worked out nevertheless. In one of the containers gauze has been glued to the walls Moist paper towels are on the bottom.I cut out holes in plastic with a red-hot iron rod - a bit time-consuming, but good ventilation has its price

P.S. The tape is on the outside of the container - so misting won't do a thing. Besides, it is not a good idea to mist this species heavily

 

[Kruszakus]

Well... I kinda ran out of fruit flies, so I had to resort to green bottle flies - nymphs after 1-2 days after hatching have very little problems overpowering those. I'll take some pics soon.

As you can see, Idolomantis nymphs are quite... formidable

 

[Gurd]

Couple of fruit flies and a greenie then 2nd instar

 

[Kruszakus]

I don't know - they don't grow that fast - I've been waiting for L2 for like... 2 weeks I guess. I've been power-feeding them for a week now, and still no sigh of L2. Although, some have bulging abdomens - I think they shuld molt within next 24-48 hours.

BTW - another ooth hatched today - like 40-50 nymphs... geez!

 

[revmdn]

That's so cool.

 

[ABbuggin]

How many idolos are you caring for? I hope you are getting a fair share!

 

[Katnapper]

:blink: :lol:

 

[Kruszakus]

Those nymphs have started to molt to L2 just an hour ago - they are now a bit more pink, and about two times bigger

EDIT - more and more Phyllocrania are molting into sub-adult. 14 pairs people, 14 pairs - you feelin' me?

 

[pohchunyee]

Did you have any trouble? I mean when they are molting into L2? Lots of mismolt? or everyone successfully molted?

 

[Katnapper]

EDIT - more and more Phyllocrania are molting into sub-adult. 14 pairs people, 14 pairs - you feelin' me?

I'm feelin' A LOT of ooths coming on!

 

[bassist]

Did you have any trouble? I mean when they are molting into L2? Lots of mismolt? or everyone successfully molted?

He's caring for about two hundred Idolos so there's probably going to be some mismolts rofl.

 

[Kruszakus]

Molting takes just a few minutes - they get out of their shed smoothly (it all depends on right humidity for this species). Their tarsae were hooked good in the gauze so they did not fall or anything. So far about a dozen moltings and no mismolts. The biggest problem with nymphs is that some break their legs - this might be serious.

Kat - I really hope yo have a lot of ooths. In over two months of rearing those babies I had only one act of cannibalism - they get along really well, and they never box

 

[Katnapper]

Kat - I really hope yo have a lot of ooths. In over two months of rearing those babies I had only one act of cannibalism - they get along really well, and they never box

Thanks, Kruszakus! I'm hoping the T. graminis do well for me also. But my post above was referring to seeing a lot of ooths coming YOUR way from your 14 pairs!!!! :blink: :lol:

 

[Kruszakus]

Sadly, I had two mismolts - too bad, but what can you do? These things are bound to happen.

Kat - If I have fertile ooths, you know where to find me