Mostly I think I thought you were older because you're particularly well-spoken.
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Mantid Madness!
- Thread starter hcarlton
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Mostly I think I thought you were older because you're particularly well-spoken.
I enjoyed keeping mantids back around 2010-2011. I didn't enjoy hatching housefly and blue bottle fly pupae and hearing flies buzzing and banging around in their hatching cups all the time. I used powered milk to fed the flies and bee pollen to coat them before feeding to the mantids.
I had Spiny flower mantids, ghost mantids, and a couple others I can't recall at the moment.
I noticed they are openly selling stick & leaf insects on ebay inside the USA (as "live bait / feeder food") have the laws changed? I remember they are illegal because the feds are afraid they'll eat farmers crops and become invasive but in most of the US it's too cold for the tropical species to naturalize.
I had Spiny flower mantids, ghost mantids, and a couple others I can't recall at the moment.
I noticed they are openly selling stick & leaf insects on ebay inside the USA (as "live bait / feeder food") have the laws changed? I remember they are illegal because the feds are afraid they'll eat farmers crops and become invasive but in most of the US it's too cold for the tropical species to naturalize.
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I've always been particular about expressing myself; things like run-on sentences drive me insane. Might the the writer side of me, or might just be the OCD, who knows...
Swords, I've only just started the mantid hobby and only know that it's perfectly legal for me to have mantids in my state; I know nothing about leaf and stick insects, but I could certainly imagine plenty of keepers having gone up in arms over them being illegal because they can't really naturalize anywhere (temperate species that generally are already here notwithstanding).
Those are some beautiful mantis! Here's my female Violin Mantis:
She finally molted to an Adult lat month
and now I am on a mission to find her a mate~
She finally molted to an Adult lat month
and now I am on a mission to find her a mate~She is absolutely gorgeousThose are some beautiful mantis! Here's my female Violin Mantis:
View attachment 3830
She finally molted to an Adult lat month
Congratulations on growing such a difficult species to adulthood.If you like, I can ask around on the forum I'm on that's principally concerned with insects and arachnids to see if anyone is also looking for a mate.
Thank you! I think my success was that I kept it super warm (90s) and fed it a steady supply of fruit flies and black solider flies.
That would be amazing if you could find a male, but it is getting cold so I might just wait till Spring and hit up some different reptile expos around here.
That would be amazing if you could find a male, but it is getting cold so I might just wait till Spring and hit up some different reptile expos around here.
She is absolutely gorgeous
If you like, I can ask around on the forum I'm on that's principally concerned with insects and arachnids to see if anyone is also looking for a mate.
If I ever get the space to set up proper heating etc. I'll eventually get into some of those species. Alas, I am limited on expansion as with everything else...
Thesprotia are finally getting to a size where I can actually photograph them and not the background
Thesprotia graminis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And one of the spinys was being prissy a few days ago, made for a good photo shoot
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Thesprotia are finally getting to a size where I can actually photograph them and not the background
Thesprotia graminis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd one of the spinys was being prissy a few days ago, made for a good photo shoot
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrP. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThat wahlbergii is stunning 
! You're making me really want to get one!!! Adding that to my wishlist along with diabolica and orchid mantis. I understand the limits on space, with my collection of plants, snakes, lizards, and insects, I surprise myself on how I continue to find space for more and more species. My violin's tank sits on top of my LED quad light which keeps her tank at a toasty 95.
! You're making me really want to get one!!! Adding that to my wishlist along with diabolica and orchid mantis. I understand the limits on space, with my collection of plants, snakes, lizards, and insects, I surprise myself on how I continue to find space for more and more species. My violin's tank sits on top of my LED quad light which keeps her tank at a toasty 95. If I ever get the space to set up proper heating etc. I'll eventually get into some of those species. Alas, I am limited on expansion as with everything else...
Thesprotia are finally getting to a size where I can actually photograph them and not the background
And one of the spinys was being prissy a few days ago, made for a good photo shoot
wahlbergii update...all but one I think are now at subadult; unfortunately that one is a female, who needs to be ahead of the males...
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
My 2 biggest Heterochaeta, the 2nd now at least 5" long
H. orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
H. orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
H. orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And "Luciano" is now a subadult
S. lineola by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
S. lineola by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
P. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrP. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrP. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrP. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrP. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrP. wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrMy 2 biggest Heterochaeta, the 2nd now at least 5" long
H. orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrH. orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrH. orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd "Luciano" is now a subadult
S. lineola by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrS. lineola by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThe 3rd male Elmantis to mature; they don't last long, but the females keep going, and going, and going...anybody want an egg case from these guys?
Elmantis sp. male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Elmantis sp. male by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And, I has new arrivals! Ootheca from Hierodula membranacea (one of the Giant Asian mantids) now incubating, and these guys are Giant Malaysian Shield mantids
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
When newly molted, they're blue
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Elmantis sp. male by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrElmantis sp. male by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd, I has new arrivals! Ootheca from Hierodula membranacea (one of the Giant Asian mantids) now incubating, and these guys are Giant Malaysian Shield mantids
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrRhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrRhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrWhen newly molted, they're blue
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrMr. Pink, my most mature spiny flower mantis, molted to adult today! He's a bit ahead of either female, so might miss his chance to mate, but he's worth keeping around just to look at too...
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Darker shots to try and get the wing details more
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrPseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrPseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrDarker shots to try and get the wing details more
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrPseudocreobotra wahlbergii "Mr. Pink" by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrI caved...my 2 newest pets, the Malaysian Orchid Mantis
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrTurns out, Mr. Pink shed all his pink as he darkened...
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
The biggest of the grass mimics
Thesprotia graminis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
"Blue"
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
The male murderer...
Elmantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
All hail His Stickness, king of the converted sweets container
Heterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrPseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThe biggest of the grass mimics
Thesprotia graminis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrRhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr"Blue"
Rhombodera basalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThe male murderer...
Elmantis sp. by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAll hail His Stickness, king of the converted sweets container
Heterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThe number of mantids in the house just skyrocketed...
Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
They hatched yesterday and I've spent hours trying to get them all into cups now; turns out I won't have anywhere near enough containers either
. The prediction was around 100 nymphs, but pretty sure I've got at least double that.
Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThey hatched yesterday and I've spent hours trying to get them all into cups now; turns out I won't have anywhere near enough containers either
. The prediction was around 100 nymphs, but pretty sure I've got at least double that.Hierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHierodula membranacea by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
They hatched yesterday and I've spent hours trying to get them all into cups now; turns out I won't have anywhere near enough containers either
Just in time for Christmas! I had that happen to me once but I think you are much better prepared than I was. Good luck!
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Female #1, no longer Mrs. Pink but more of a Mrs. Teal
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And the male again 'cause he's cool
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
The big stick female is now, I believe, subadult, and nearly as long as my hand. Jumped on my sister when she tried videotaping the amusing insect, and the reaction was even more amusing...
Heterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Heterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Shelf contents of the main portion of the menagerie
The mantis menagerie by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And both my orchids molted; caught one in the act
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Apparently the act leaves them thirsty...
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
The other one was a little more camera shy
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd the male again 'cause he's cool
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThe big stick female is now, I believe, subadult, and nearly as long as my hand. Jumped on my sister when she tried videotaping the amusing insect, and the reaction was even more amusing...
Heterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHeterochaeta orientalis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrShelf contents of the main portion of the menagerie
The mantis menagerie by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd both my orchids molted; caught one in the act
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrApparently the act leaves them thirsty...
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThe other one was a little more camera shy
Hymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHymenopus coronatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr