Trying to breed Idolomantis diabolica

[macro junkie]

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.

i now have the lighting on 18 hours on 6 hours off.

u cant slow down the males..it doesnt work with this species..if every thing isnt optimum they wont do well.rember i got these 2 nymphs at 4th and 5th instar so i dont even know if there both from the same ooth?

yen was saying dont worry..he has males that have lived for 4-5months iof i remember correctly

 

[Malnra]

what do you use to maintain the temp when the lights are out ? testing out using a 10 gal fishtank upsidedown i can maintain 85 degrees and 65% humidity as long as the lights are on. i have turned out the lights to see just how cold it will get, but think it would be too cold for idolo's (basement is colder then the rest of the house) ....

 

[macro junkie]

what do you use to maintain the temp when the lights are out ? testing out using a 10 gal fishtank upsidedown i can maintain 85 degrees and 65% humidity as long as the lights are on. i have turned out the lights to see just how cold it will get, but think it would be too cold for idolo's (basement is colder then the rest of the house) ....

i have a heater set on a thermostat..there in my bedroom and i like to keep my bedroom warm any way.80f when lights out.

 

[Malnra]

i have a heater set on a thermostat..there in my bedroom and i like to keep my bedroom warm any way.80f when lights out.

80 .. ouch it is not that warm during the day at my house .... 73 degrees is about right for me..... i may have to invest in a heating mat to use during the lights out phase ..... i may look for the heating pad my wife used to use .... she wont look down there for it and i can pull the ... heck i never used it, where did you leave it line .. LOL

 

[bugzilla]

i have a heater set on a thermostat..there in my bedroom and i like to keep my bedroom warm any way.80f when lights out.

OMG I'd melt :lol:

What about those ceramic heater dealies that reptile keepers use, the ones that hang like a light bulb?

 

[macro junkie]

sub adult female. <_< I wish she would hurry up.Shes stoped eating a couple days ago and lights just went out..hopfully shes going to shed in the next 48hours?

 

[mrblue]

still?! you must be having kittens. that's a phrase, right? it is now. i dont know how or where youre keeping her but it might be a good idea to cover her container somehow, to give her a bit of peace? i did this (just taped some pieces of paper to the sides of the containers, on all sides. it was pretty ghetto but it did the trick) when mine were moulting to adult and they all made it fine. i'm not saying thats what made them moult fine or that it's necessary or anything, but it just seemed like a good idea to give them as much peace as possible i thought. no harm in just trying right?

 

[macro junkie]

still?! you must be having kittens. that's a phrase, right? it is now. i dont know how or where youre keeping her but it might be a good idea to cover her container somehow, to give her a bit of peace? i did this (just taped some pieces of paper to the sides of the containers, on all sides. it was pretty ghetto but it did the trick) when mine were moulting to adult and they all made it fine. i'm not saying thats what made them moult fine or that it's necessary or anything, but it just seemed like a good idea to give them as much peace as possible i thought. no harm in just trying right?

i dont see there being any point..i rember my male shedding to adult..this was when i had the light on 24/7.they dont need the dark to shed..im sure she will shed when shes ready..last few days they have swallon up alot.shouldnt be long now..Lets hope the male lives long enough..How long did your males last in adult stage?

 

[mrblue]

i'm not saying they need darkness to moult (all my adult moults were done while lamps were still on), i'm saying maybe if there are less visual distractions she will have more peace and less chance of something going wrong, but do what you feel is best.

2 of my adult males died after eating crickets (they were being looked after for me at my parents house, my mum had seen me feed crickets to mantids before). the third male died about 2 weeks ago, i cant remember how old he was, but he was my youngest, so around a month old? not sure what happened to him really, i sent him to someone to attempt mating and they said he just got really weak and died. and my second youngest male is still alive, only one i got left. i guess he must be a month and half as adult? something like that.

 

[macro junkie]

i'm not saying they need darkness to moult (all my adult moults were done while lamps were still on), i'm saying maybe if there are less visual distractions she will have more peace and less chance of something going wrong, but do what you feel is best. 2 of my adult males died after eating crickets (they were being looked after for me at my parents house, my mum had seen me feed crickets to mantids before). the third male died about 2 weeks ago, i cant remember how old he was, but he was my youngest, so around a month old? not sure what happened to him really, i sent him to someone to attempt mating and they said he just got really weak and died. and my second youngest male is still alive, only one i got left. i guess he must be a month and half as adult? something like that.

yen was saying he has males that are 4 months adult.

 

[macro junkie]

5/7 have shed to 4th instar..il get pics of a body shot later..for now heres a mug shot.

 

[macro junkie]

my sub adult female died last night..well..its still alive but is almost dead..she cant move..looks weak...if u need my adult male pm me.i dont need it now .

that wont put me off tho..im even more determined now to breed these.Most of the other idolo nymphs are 4th instar..hopfully i can have more luck with them..Starting with 2 was always going to be a gamble.i have 7 nympths so im sure i got a better chance with these..

 

[macro junkie]

1 of them just shed to 5th instar, pics coming up.Wow are they growing fast.i think its 5th any way?it could be 4th..im starting to loose track of the instars tbh.

 

[macro junkie]

Check this out then..iv got most at 4th instar but i have 1 at the back that looks like 2nd instar still..lol god knows whats going on with that..thats the one with 1 leg missing..i received it like that.

 

[tier]

Hi

Mantids with missing legs always need much more time because they regenerate the missing leg and infact need more time to grow.

regrds

 

[macro junkie]

HiMantids with missing legs always need much more time because they regenerate the missing leg and infact need more time to grow.

regrds

oh ok.that would explain it

 

[macro junkie]

1 of the 3 just hit sub adult shed fine

so from the Mar 29 2008 whichwhere 1st instar 1 is now sub adult on June 09 2008any one good at maths?.

 

[Rob Byatt]

1 of the 3 just hit sub adult shed fineso from the Mar 29 2008 whichwhere 1st instar 1 is now sub adult on June 09 2008any one good at maths?.

You sure it's subadult ?

 

[mrblue]

You sure it's subadult ?

i make that 72 days, unless i went wrong somewhere. if we assume the subadult is a male, it will have shed 7 times. (on average) thats a shed every 10 days or so. if its a female it will have shed 8 times, meaning a shed every 9 days. it doesnt really seem to add up, though i guess as you keep them in 24/7 light and heat maybe they have grown superfast?

ps - thats not taking into account the days it spent at first instar before you got them, any idea when they hatched?

 

[macro junkie]

i make that 72 days, unless i went wrong somewhere. if we assume the subadult is a male, it will have shed 7 times. (on average) thats a shed every 10 days or so. if its a female it will have shed 8 times, meaning a shed every 9 days. it doesnt really seem to add up, though i guess as you keep them in 24/7 light and heat maybe they have grown superfast?ps - thats not taking into account the days it spent at first instar before you got them, any idea when they hatched?

rob - im 80% sure its sub adult but il get pics for you all in a bit

mr-blue..remember when i bought them at 1st instar.it could of been that they where about to hit 2nd instar when i got them..i might have the info at the beginning of the thread to how long it took to shed to 2nd instar..if u l;ook at the start of the thread check out the dates..il go get a pic of the mantis now..u know what im like with the wingbuds..its probably not even sub..lol..so il get a pic to double check..and yes..lighting is on 24/7.