r/mantids • u/ohnunu_ • 21h ago
Image/Video met this cutie in the parking lot :)
a female T. sinensis i believe! i relocated her to a nearby overgrown garden box.
r/mantids • u/sleepyheadsymphony • Jan 07 '20
I was asked to make this post in another thread - so here I am. Here's a PSA on what metal mesh does to your mantises feet, and why it should be avoided!
This is a raptorial arm, (the front, grasping arms) but the segment we're interested in is the same on all of their legs. The little portion labelled "Tarsus" is what we're looking at here. You can see that it ends in a set of hooks - often (somewhat confusingly) called "Claws" - these tarsal claws are what give your mantis the ability to walk upside down on surfaces that appear quite smooth to us, and why it feels kind of spiky when a large mantis walks on your skin. They're essential for your mantis to move around, and most importantly moult properly! Differences in the morphology of this structure also give some mantises the ability to walk on glass, whilst others can't.

If you go and look at one of your mantises feet, you will likely be able to see the little hooks now you know what you're looking for. Now the problem is that some tank setups that are commonly recommended damage these hooks, which results in mantises having trouble moving around, and falling whilst they moult.
Exo-terra tanks are very commonly used because a lot of us have other inverts or exotic pets and have spares lying around, or they're sold to us at petstores. They make nice display tanks and are easy to clean. However - the mesh at the top of exo-terra tanks is made of very fine metal, and the holes themselves are very small. This is essentially like you trying to hang by your toes from chickenwire, eventually your toes are going to be pretty damaged, or come off altogether! If you must use an exo-terra, it's essential that the mesh is changed to stop this from occurring. Plastic tulle mesh is easily available and works as an excellent substitute.
There is also a multitude of DIY options available, which I will detail bellow:
Basic requirements for all enclosures:
Nymphs
The absolute single best enclosure for a nymph of any species, is simply a plastic deli cup with the lid cut out to accommodate some plastic mesh, and a single twig placed diagonally. Alternately, you can just use an elastic band to hold the mesh on. For feeding, simply cut a hole in the side and stuff it with some sponge to stop live food or your mantis escaping, you can pooter in the food. (if you don't have a pooter you should get one, especially if dealing with fruitflies, they're also very easy to DIY)
The tubs that livefood is commonly sold in make excellent tanks with some modification, especially for larger nymphs, and even small adults. The more rigid ones are the best, as they're easily cut to allow the insertion of mesh, and can be stood up tall-ways. The entire lid can be cut out and replaced with mesh, which provides excellent ventilation, and is nice for the mantis to move around on.
Adults
All can be modified in the same ways as above. I will either append this post, or make an additional post, detailing how to make a suitable enclosure using the items above with pictures in future.
These enclosures are all very cheap to construct, and even the most DIY averse person can make the modifications necessary to turn them into good enclosures. They also have the benefit of being mostly recycled items a lot of us will already possess.
Another benefit to using tanks mostly constructed of mesh is that it prevents mantises from developing "eye-rub" - this is damage to their eyes from repeatedly trying to walk through clear plastic or glass - it looks like large black spots on the eyes, distinct from the pseudo-pupils - which can in cases turn necrotic and is quite a nasty way for your mantis to die.
I hope this post was helpful and informative, and please don't hesitate to ask any questions or add to the knowledge given here if you have any other tips or advice.
References: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/12542/
r/mantids • u/MikeNepoMC • Sep 28 '22
r/mantids • u/ohnunu_ • 21h ago
a female T. sinensis i believe! i relocated her to a nearby overgrown garden box.
r/mantids • u/Kirstayyy • 4h ago
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Managed to capture a whole series of clips of my Yunnan hunting, with near misses and all! This was her final strike in action, absolutely love feeding with this girl because she always makes it entertaining for us both š¤ sheās a mighty little thing!
I was worried sheād struggle in her new bigger enclosure but I fear nothing is too much for Lumi, her greed knows no bounds
r/mantids • u/Aggressive-Lemon-760 • 10h ago
Met the smallest baby in our car...
r/mantids • u/Cactusmammal • 9h ago
4ā long. Hung out on my balcony for a week and I shared dubias from my colony. Now sheās gone, and I found this ootheca.
I initially thought Chinese Mantis, but from my research this Ootheca doesnāt look like that.
Help please! I have more photos available if needed.
r/mantids • u/Environmental_Tone14 • 17h ago
This cutie hopped on my husband's head at our back porch tonight. Also, albino?? Striking red eyes. I know very little about mantids so pls excuse my ignorance. We're in SoCal.
r/mantids • u/frogsinsweaters • 36m ago
Hi reddit!! im new to mantis keeping and iāve been doing a lot of research while waiting for my incoming mantis! iām getting an l4 mantis and im pretty sure i know the answer to this but i just wanna be clear, so my bigger enclosure (15 inches tall 8 inches wide) is too big for the l4 correct? i have some deli cups that are about 7 inches tall and 4/5 inches wide that i can add some mesh too. iām pretty sure the smaller enclosure is the right move but i just wanna be sure!!! thank you guys
r/mantids • u/KaiaZazoo • 3h ago
Hi! I am wondering if she looks full or if I should feed her anything else?
Also! I am looking to upgrade her enclosure soon ti account for her size since she just molted and got her wings!!! I am wondering what the best things to buy are for female European mantids, so the enclosure terrarium itself, what ground cover, what to climb on, etc.
r/mantids • u/Kirstayyy • 1d ago
Maserati loves to creep on everyone from his top secret location - the thermometer š«Ŗ
r/mantids • u/FastSpite6853 • 9h ago
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Not sure if this is allowed Iām new to this group, if itās not okay to post I will take it down! I bought this āChinese mantisā about a week ago but I donāt know if itās really a Chinese mantis it doesnāt look my other Chinese mantis, video of my new baby eating a cricket!
r/mantids • u/tapiocapearls428 • 22h ago
so the abdomen looks kinda plumpy which is fair because I just fed her a bunchhhh of bugs, but it looks a bit different this time and itās moving up and down A LOT more than usual. her wings are also drooping down more than usual. idk am I overthinking reddit
r/mantids • u/ohnunu_ • 21h ago
i got to visit steven again today! she molted over the weekend and is a gorgeous adult now :)))
but shes like... really small?? ESPECIALLY compared to the ginormous T. sinensis female I found in the campus parking lot last week (last photo). its to the point where im starting to think maybe Steven either isn't a girl or isn't a Chinese mantis???
idk what mantis genitalia are like but im still counting 6 sternites and her abdomen is pretty spindle-shaped, which is indicative of her being female. i didnt have a ruler but if i had to guess id say shes between 7-9cm. she has a yellow spot on her chest and dark green armpits. pretty sure that means T. sinensis. so is she just smaller than i expected? or am i wrong about something?
r/mantids • u/ballsnutzrhhhhh3 • 13h ago
Im struggling to find anyone selling this species, i really have always wanted them since i was a kid and am now just getting more unquie species other than M. religiosa or T. sinensis. I wonder if no one has them anymore in the states, i really hope i didnt miss this awesome looking species. I havent seen any idolomantis in awhile either.
r/mantids • u/laoxox • 21h ago
I feel so unbelievably privileged to catch the end of Morty's molt!
r/mantids • u/Entomology4ev3r • 1d ago
anyone intrested in any ghost mantis phylocrania paradoxa? long story short I asked a breeder for 10 l4 mantids of phylocrania paradoxa I put them in 1 tank for about 5 months they died and I saw what I thought were dud oothecas i kept the tank Bec the decor was pretty but about 6 months later NOW they started hatching and theirs now about 200 baby mantids with 1 ootheca opening right at this moment. If anyone in the eu wants one or more like 100 please feel free to contact me via comment or private message I will need you to pay for shipping and the cup costs i will be shipping them in but other then that itās free. note that have to be inside EU otherwise i cannot ship it safely (also its the rules of the r/mantids community)
thank you agian
PS I managed to take a few ootheca out into separate boxes and one ootheca hatched hereās photo

HELP
r/mantids • u/Repulsive_Peach2209 • 20h ago
12x12x18 - also wondering if i should just remove the top entirely and try and handcraft something w mesh? thereās little vent holes toward the back but idk if itāll be enough airflow???
r/mantids • u/theanimalmaniaa • 1d ago
Hey all! Beginner here looking to purchase a Ghost mantis after waiting for my bioactive to settle in. Any advice for the build? It is a 6x6x8 - should I upgrade to 12 as she/he gets to adulthood? I hear 8 inches is enough however I do understand the substrate takes up room, so want to ensure there is enough vertical clearance, along with no other issues.
Thank you!
r/mantids • u/Turbulent-Ad9778 • 1d ago
so lately i just haven't been handling my mantis (adult hierodula majuscula) because when im handling her shes really curious and eager to explore and bc of that she tends to jump where she wants and ends up falling onto the floor (im always sitting on the ground so she doesn't get hurt) but it still worries me and id rather not stress her so is that a problem? ā
r/mantids • u/Quick_Assist6025 • 1d ago
Hantu my nymph phyllocrania paradoxa š(ghost mantis) (likely female) i got her from the glasgow invert show yesterday! Was a blast. Yes I have kept many mantids before.
r/mantids • u/mantisgirI • 1d ago
RIP Fawn, Iām genuinely so sad. She was doing so good, I donāt know what went wrong. She had been very weak since this morning and I set multiple alarms to get up and check on her, woke up to her completely passed away.
Sheās my first mantis to pass, Iām trying to remind myself that itās life but dang I barely even had time with her :(
r/mantids • u/AlbinoSnake_0 • 2d ago
Beautiful mantis religiosa found on my windowsill, very sweet girl