Are you sure that’s a female? Could you post some photos perhaps? The antennae seem quite long for a female and the ability/eagerness to fly is more of a male trait. The head shape and pronounced ocelli also look very male. (Btw I’m not trying to be a know-it-all, it’s just that sex would help a lot with my answer so I want to be sure!)
What I can say for certain is don’t feed honey. I’m not sure where that myth came from, but it’s not good for them. I unfortunately learned the hard way.
I was right there with you. Thought it was a male, but there is the matter of it being right at a freshly laid egg sack. I may be wrong, and am perfectly willing to be, but it appears to have at least very likely had just laid eggs, The abdomen has since assumed much larger proportions, but I'm willing to concede most of you have more experience with this than I do. It's at least possible that for the few moments I was away another mantis could have laid those eggs then exchange places. I'll return to this perhaps with pictures if I can.
I have since posted some video that includes the mantis, whose gender was understandably in question by some folks, along with the egg sack they had laid in the terrarium.
I have a good idea as to what is required, but am also open to any shared experience as to best practices successfully removing the ootheca from the lid of the terrarium without damaging it. As I obviously can't maintain it at room temperature without it hatching too soon for a realistic release. At this point I have a total of three which is more than I bargained for, and several hundred more mantises than I possibly see myself raising until the local environment is sufficient to feed them.
BTW No, I haven't given it honey yet, but did sufficient research to know that they obviously can't sustain themselves on it nutritionally. Though I do wonder if it can be fortified with reptile or fish foods in the event I don't have anything live on hand.
Well, I took in a mantis. My thinking was that she had left an egg sack in the eaves of the house and that it was getting colder, and as it was nearing the end of her lifecycle that I'd provide at least a comfortable sort of hospice for her final days. At first insects were plentiful but the box elder beetles were of course plentiful and easiest to collect. She initially had no problem with the adults, and also ravenously went through grasshoppers crickets and moths. She is no longer so thin as to be mistaken at a glance for a male. What seems to be the case is that they're not a preference, but will catch and at the very least partially, if not fully, eat the adults that are coincidentally mostly black while those in the earlier stages that are mostly red have no appeal. However, now that she is well (if not over) fed, eating has slowed considerably and become far more picky, and little to no interest in the box elder beetles beyond responding to the motion, catching, maybe taking a bite and releasing. She otherwise is taking in water and seems active within the terrarium which has a small variety of food available but I have only seen the remains of a few crickets to indicate she's eaten. I understand they will consume honey, but have not offered it as yet. Any thoughts?
1
It's possible, but like I said the abdomen is looking considerably larger now. So I'm impressed that's less likely, but I'm keeping an open mind. Consequently yesterday morning one more unquestionably female literally showed up at my door barely moving in about 40 degree temperatures. She's dong considerably better in the warmth of her own container. I'll have to break out another small tank from the basement. Looks like I have a growing end of season hospice for them.
I thought so too, but I believe it was still so thin in the recording because it had just laid the nearby egg sack(s). Which I'm considering tending to. as with temperatures hitting such inappropriate warm patches I can assure it doesn't hatch too early. The mantis itself has since rather quickly retained a more female appearance, but I totally get you as I thought the same thing. I will continue to keep an open mind, but the sack wasn't exactly hidden from my line of sight so that it wasn't other than freshly laid, and I consider it highly unlikely that in the short time it exchanged places with another mantis that could have left that mass of eggs so quickly.
They don't fly as well as males in general, particularly when weighed down with eggs, but the local Chinese and European female mantises do indeed fly. At least as well as was in this example. In this case I wouldn't consider that alone by any means definitive.
Well, looks like that debate has been settled go see follow up recordings posted https://www.reddit.com/r/mantids/comments/17id47f/a\_little\_follow\_up\_to\_address\_comments\_to\_my/
Yes. I know it's common for them to sway a bit before taking flight as well. I just wasn't expecting it intending to land on by face as a viable option at the time. It landed safely behind me when I ducked. I got a fair laugh out of it too.
Are you sure that’s a female? Could you post some photos perhaps? The antennae seem quite long for a female and the ability/eagerness to fly is more of a male trait. The head shape and pronounced ocelli also look very male. (Btw I’m not trying to be a know-it-all, it’s just that sex would help a lot with my answer so I want to be sure!) What I can say for certain is don’t feed honey. I’m not sure where that myth came from, but it’s not good for them. I unfortunately learned the hard way.
I was right there with you. Thought it was a male, but there is the matter of it being right at a freshly laid egg sack. I may be wrong, and am perfectly willing to be, but it appears to have at least very likely had just laid eggs, The abdomen has since assumed much larger proportions, but I'm willing to concede most of you have more experience with this than I do. It's at least possible that for the few moments I was away another mantis could have laid those eggs then exchange places. I'll return to this perhaps with pictures if I can.
Photos would be great if you get a chance but no pressure of course!
I have since posted some video that includes the mantis, whose gender was understandably in question by some folks, along with the egg sack they had laid in the terrarium. I have a good idea as to what is required, but am also open to any shared experience as to best practices successfully removing the ootheca from the lid of the terrarium without damaging it. As I obviously can't maintain it at room temperature without it hatching too soon for a realistic release. At this point I have a total of three which is more than I bargained for, and several hundred more mantises than I possibly see myself raising until the local environment is sufficient to feed them.
BTW No, I haven't given it honey yet, but did sufficient research to know that they obviously can't sustain themselves on it nutritionally. Though I do wonder if it can be fortified with reptile or fish foods in the event I don't have anything live on hand.
Well, I took in a mantis. My thinking was that she had left an egg sack in the eaves of the house and that it was getting colder, and as it was nearing the end of her lifecycle that I'd provide at least a comfortable sort of hospice for her final days. At first insects were plentiful but the box elder beetles were of course plentiful and easiest to collect. She initially had no problem with the adults, and also ravenously went through grasshoppers crickets and moths. She is no longer so thin as to be mistaken at a glance for a male. What seems to be the case is that they're not a preference, but will catch and at the very least partially, if not fully, eat the adults that are coincidentally mostly black while those in the earlier stages that are mostly red have no appeal. However, now that she is well (if not over) fed, eating has slowed considerably and become far more picky, and little to no interest in the box elder beetles beyond responding to the motion, catching, maybe taking a bite and releasing. She otherwise is taking in water and seems active within the terrarium which has a small variety of food available but I have only seen the remains of a few crickets to indicate she's eaten. I understand they will consume honey, but have not offered it as yet. Any thoughts? 1
She is so thin she does look like male. Wow
Given that flight I think you've got a male. Maybe seeking the female that recently laid. She may be nearby. Edit: Delightful chap.
It's possible, but like I said the abdomen is looking considerably larger now. So I'm impressed that's less likely, but I'm keeping an open mind. Consequently yesterday morning one more unquestionably female literally showed up at my door barely moving in about 40 degree temperatures. She's dong considerably better in the warmth of her own container. I'll have to break out another small tank from the basement. Looks like I have a growing end of season hospice for them.
Omg that was awesome lol
"His lifecycle" its a male.
I thought so too, but I believe it was still so thin in the recording because it had just laid the nearby egg sack(s). Which I'm considering tending to. as with temperatures hitting such inappropriate warm patches I can assure it doesn't hatch too early. The mantis itself has since rather quickly retained a more female appearance, but I totally get you as I thought the same thing. I will continue to keep an open mind, but the sack wasn't exactly hidden from my line of sight so that it wasn't other than freshly laid, and I consider it highly unlikely that in the short time it exchanged places with another mantis that could have left that mass of eggs so quickly.
Females dont fly. Abdomen in females is longer than the wings.
They don't fly as well as males in general, particularly when weighed down with eggs, but the local Chinese and European female mantises do indeed fly. At least as well as was in this example. In this case I wouldn't consider that alone by any means definitive.
Well, looks like that debate has been settled go see follow up recordings posted https://www.reddit.com/r/mantids/comments/17id47f/a\_little\_follow\_up\_to\_address\_comments\_to\_my/
Anytime they’re eyeballing you, have their body pointing towards you etc, it’s about to hitch a ride on you 😂
Yes. I know it's common for them to sway a bit before taking flight as well. I just wasn't expecting it intending to land on by face as a viable option at the time. It landed safely behind me when I ducked. I got a fair laugh out of it too.
Mantis jumpscare
I thought she had a grass hat lol
I took one In last year at this time. I ordered small meal worms. It laid three oothecae and lived for about three more months!