Trying to breed Idolomantis diabolica

[macro junkie]

I have 9 nympths,8 are eating well and getting fat,but theres 1 that has a twisted front claw and he cant catch the fruit flys,hes getting thin,i tryed to hand feed him but it wouldnt take it.so i havent got much hope for that little guy.so 8 healthy nympths,the 1ftx1ft net cage is heated to 92f last time i looked.There feeding on culywings and frute flys..il update the thread soon as they start to shed to 2nd instar,

 

[darkspeed]

Poor little fella...

Keep trying to get it to eat...Fruitfly on the end of a needle stuck up to its mouth might do the trick. If it can just make it to the next shed It more than likely will overcome its handicap.

Best of luck Scott.

 

[macro junkie]

there all still 1st instar.eating lots.Heres some pics

 

[macro junkie]

iv just checked and 2/9 has shed to 2nd instar..il get some pics later.

 

[mrblue]

i wrote down when my four idolos would shed to see how long each instar takes, i thought it might be useful to you to have some guidelines or something to compare to. i stopped counting around christmas though so i only have information on the lower instars.

L2>L3---24/09----29/09----29/09----4/10

________13______14______14_____14

L3>L4---07/10----13/10----13/10----18/10

________16______17______24_____21

L4>L5---23/10----30/10----06/11----08/11

________18______19______14_____18

L5>L6---10/11----18/11----20/11----07/12

________31

L6>L7---11/12-----N/A------N/A-------N/A

second instar took on average 14 days

third instar on average 20 days (had a bit of a fly drought after the first two shed)

fourth instar on average 17 days (one of them was making up for lost time i guess!). averages arent really useful at all, but you get the idea.

if you keep this thread up to date it will become a useful resource, not least for the great macro photos of each instar (i hope!).

 

[macro junkie]

L2>L3---24/09----29/09----29/09----4/10 ________13______14______14_____14

L3>L4---07/10----13/10----13/10----18/10

________16______17______24_____21

L4>L5---23/10----30/10----06/11----08/11

________18______19______14_____18

L5>L6---10/11----18/11----20/11----07/12

________31

L6>L7---11/12-----N/A------N/A-------N/A

thanks for that helpfull info.

 

[macro junkie]

only 2 have shedd so far..every thing went fine and there eating lots.heres a face shot at 2nd instar,i got some body shots il upload them in a bit.

 

[macro junkie]

update..another 1 just shed to 2nd instar...3 shed fine,just 6 to go.

 

[MantidLord]

So little twisty is doing fine? Good to hear

 

[macro junkie]

So little twisty is doing fine? Good to hear

no..hes dead..they all shed now but 1..but the guy your talking about didnt shed right and got all twisted up..so i have 7 shed fine to L2 and 1 thats going to shed any day now,,2 of them have only got 3 legs..but they shed fine so hopfully they wil grow back in a few sheds,.

 

[macro junkie]

i just bought some timers..i have set it up to go off at 12 midnight and come on at 6am..does that sound about right to u guys..6 hours dark?

 

[darkspeed]

i just bought some timers..i have set it up to go off at 12 midnight and come on at 6am..does that sound about right to u guys..6 hours dark?

Because of temp flucuations in my house and outside especially I have mine set up 14/10... but it is backwards in comparison with the sun...The light is off during the day when it warms up in the house, and comes on in the evening and stays on throughout the night to provide warmth when it is cooler in the house. The house is insulated well so the temps are within 65 - 75F degrees inside where temps outside may fluctuate between 40 at night and 80 during the day. We try to not use any heating or cooling during this time of year to save money, and so lighting them that way seemed the most efficient way to keep them warm (80f) all the time. Once it gets hot outside and the AC is being used the inside temp will stay around 75, and I'll give them less "night" as a result. This system also works well because the males that I have in slow motion are simply put in a different location unnaffected by the lamp, thus recieving a cooler life with a seperate day/night cycle.

BTW I am dying to more progression pics of your nymphs. Untill your recent L-1 L-2 pics I had only seen subadult and adult shots of Idols. I am curious to see them as they grow. I am looking forward to keeping them someday, once I am successfull at raising and breeding spinys and orchids.

 

[macro junkie]

thanks for the info darkspeed..i have 7 at 2nd instar now..and 1 thats still 1st instar.2 of them only have 3 legs which they lost during trasnsport.so no pics to update yet..all tho im going to try and get some shots now of 2nd instar just because im board..

 

[macro junkie]

They all shed fine to 3rd instar the last few days,.

 

[darkspeed]

Wow, they are growing fast! All my Acromantid nymphs are still at L-1

Cant wait to see new pics.

 

[macro junkie]

Wow, they are growing fast!

Yer thats all the food there eating..there feeding on green bottles now.and there always eating.like yen said in his thread "they got huge appetites"

 

[macro junkie]

7 have shed to 3rd instar...the pink colour has gone now.

 

[macro junkie]

sub adult female still hasnt shed yet.

 

[Malnra]

Nice looking "bugs" there MJ ;- )

Question about the day/night ... they really need the cycle ?

also

The males mature more quickly than the females ? I guess it gives the males more time as an adult before they risk losing their heads.

also

Why slow the males down ? If they are geared to mature faster, then in the wild they would also and surely breed there.