Second Chances

My brother found a mantis nymph (I believe it's female) this morning while mowing the lawn. Yesterday my little sister found a baby mantis (I think it's male) while playing on the lawn. "Maryanna" kept her mantis in name, but I'm actually taking care of it because she' six and I own its cage. My brother gave me his nymph. I named it Patricia Mindelle. "Mary's" nymph is named Leif. I think she meant "Leaf," but since I think it's male I spelled it as "Leif." If it turns out I'm wrong, I'll just go back to the original spelling. (Mindelle's potential name change is "Patrick Mendel.")

Oh, and by the way, the last time I said I had new mantises, MantisMan13. . . whose name I can't seem to find in that little dropdown list, sorry. . . asked for pictures. . . unfortunately those mantises died before I could find the camera. (It was really lost.) This time. . . here we go, this is Leif. 



Wow. Those pictures are big. . . 

And here is Patrica Mindelle. 



I know, they're pretty blurry photos. . .

Here's hoping these ones survive. 

#1 is a Carolina mantis and #2 is European I believe. 

- MantisGirl13 

Really? I thought they were both European. . . I guess this explains why Leif is smaller than Pat Mindy. They're past the age where I would have to worry about them randomly dying, right?

Actually, I might be wrong about the one being Carolina. I need a better picture to tell. 

And sorry, RDS (random death syndrome) happens in mantids of all ages, not just young nymphs.

- MantisGirl13 

I don't know anything much about telling one species from another. . . your guess is more likely right than mine. 

Does RDS typically look like lack of appetite and odd behavior? The two nymphs I had last month started acting really odd and losing interest in food before they died, and I'm looking to confirm the cause of death. . . 

Possibly parasites.

Oh. Okay, thanks.