He was chilling in my kitchen by the screened window, no idea how he got in. I heard that having him around was beneficial against bugs so considered him my kitchen security guard. But then by chance came across a video of one eating a bird and long story short came to find that they make good pets. So far he's not eating the roaches I got him though. His name is Face Jumper as the first time I held him he jumped into my face and scared the shit out of me lol.

My two little babies!! They’re doing great, both have already molted since being here. Trying to get Calypso to let me move her into a smaller tank but she really likes that stick. I guess i’ll have to glue it down in her new enclosure once she gets off🥹🩷🌸

They all live in a tent in separate enclosures, and I let one or two out every day to have the run of the place (under supervision).

Banana seems to be telling me it’s not going to be long now…! I just hope Enigma the Beast isn’t seeing him through dragonfly-coloured spectacles.

Hi reddit!! im new to mantis keeping and i’ve been doing a lot of research while waiting for my incoming mantis! i’m 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. i’m pretty sure the smaller enclosure is the right move but i just wanna be sure!!! thank you guys

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.

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 🤌 she’s a mighty little thing!

I was worried she’d struggle in her new bigger enclosure but I fear nothing is too much for Lumi, her greed knows no bounds

Not sure if this is allowed I’m new to this group, if it’s not okay to post I will take it down! I bought this “Chinese mantis” about a week ago but I don’t know if it’s really a Chinese mantis it doesn’t look my other Chinese mantis, video of my new baby eating a cricket!

4” long. Hung out on my balcony for a week and I shared dubias from my colony. Now she’s gone, and I found this ootheca.
I initially thought Chinese Mantis, but from my research this Ootheca doesn’t look like that.
Help please! I have more photos available if needed.

Met the smallest baby in our car...

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.

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.

12x12x18 - also wondering if i should just remove the top entirely and try and handcraft something w mesh? there’s little vent holes toward the back but idk if it’ll be enough airflow???

a female T. sinensis i believe! i relocated her to a nearby overgrown garden box.

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?

I feel so unbelievably privileged to catch the end of Morty's molt!

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 it’s moving up and down A LOT more than usual. her wings are also drooping down more than usual. idk am I overthinking reddit

Maserati loves to creep on everyone from his top secret location - the thermometer 🫪

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? ​

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!

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 it’s 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 here’s photo

HELP

My mantis hasn't been eating for 2~4 days, and I'm worried sick. Usually, when I open his enclosure he would climb onto my hand right away and eat what I've given him. But for a couple of days he's not been moving(at least, moving slower/less than before), refusing to climb onto my hand and refusing food entirely. It's been a few weeks since he molted(molted twice since I took him in, presumably L3~4), so the first day he started refusing his food I thought he's going to molt soon. But he's still not molting... I'm spraying his enclosure well(because I heard people saying mantids have a hard time molting if it's too dry) but if he still doesn't molt tonight I might take him out of the enclosure and make him eat. I'm worried he might starve. Why is he doing this?? Is it because he's close to molting?or maybe he's stressed?? This is how he looks rn.