Pics of my two little Phyllocrania paradoxa

[mikefallen13]

I got these two little guys as tiny litttle nymphs and now that there about 1" long, I thought it was time for some pics! I also got lucky and ended up with a male and a female, so I might eventually end up with a lot of little ghost mantises. I have kept these two togather in a small aquarium with plenty of sticks and leaves to hide in and so far neither one has really showed any agression toward the other one. I usually take them out once a week and clean there tank out and put fresh leaves in and today I let them crawl up on a blooming Encyclia O'Neil for some pics!

Heres the male, he seems to be a little more curious and outgoing than the female.

And, the female. She started out a light brown but after her latest molt she's begun to turn green. As soon as I tried to take pics she ran and attempted to hide behind some flowers.

That's all for now! but I'll keep updating this thread as they grow.

 

[Wire Man]

Awesome mantids and nice choice of orchid! They look tiny.

 

[ECooper]

Very cool!

EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com

 

[swords]

These were the first exotic mantid species that I kept, I really enjoyed them. I kept them separate until breeding time though, just as insurance. Their planted vivariums were all side by side so they could see each other to interact and dance at each other but not actually get at one another.

 

[asid61]

Mantids are so cool. Too bad they are carnivores, I'm not allowed to keep them.