Praying mantises at home. Breeding and care. Mating and breeding Praying Mantis at home

The praying mantis is an arthropod insect that belongs to the order of praying mantises (lat. Mantodea, Mantoptera).

The origin of the international name "Mantodea" is not known with certainty. Russian definition this order received due to some similarity of the insect's forelimbs with by human hands, bent at the elbow joint. In this position, the mantis is in ambush and waits for prey, shaking its head from time to time. Because of this behavioral feature, as well as due to associative perception, the insect, which resembles a person who reads a prayer, got its name.

Taken from the site: artfile.me

Mantis - description, structure, characteristics. What does a praying mantis look like?

Almost all praying mantises have an elongated body characteristic structure that distinguishes them from others arthropod insects. The movable head of the praying mantis has almost triangular shape and is capable of rotating almost around its axis. Thanks to this, the insect can notice an enemy approaching from behind.

The convex large compound eyes of the mantis have a complex structure and are located far from each other along the lateral edges of the head.

In addition to them, the insect has 3 simple eyes, which are located above the base of the antennae.

The antennae of the praying mantis consist of numerous segments and, depending on the species of the insect, are filamentous, feathery or comb-like.

The mouthparts of mantises are of the gnawing type and are directed downward.

Characteristic feature insects of this order is that the pronotum, widened in the upper part, almost never overlaps the head.

The soft, slightly flattened abdomen consists of 10 segments.

The last segment of the abdomen ends with long paired appendages of numerous segments, cerci, which are organs of smell.

In males, the cerci are better developed than in females.

Cerci and ovipositor of a female praying mantis Stagmomantis carolina. Photo credit: Kaldari, Public Domain

Almost all species of mantises have well-developed front and rear pairs of wings, thanks to which the insect can fly. It is noteworthy that the narrow and dense wings of the front pair serve as a kind of elytra that protect the hind wings. The rear pair of wings is wide, has many membranes and is folded like a fan.

Often the wings of a praying mantis are brightly colored or have a specific pattern on them. But there are also varieties of mantises that are completely devoid of wings and, in their own way, appearance resembling larvae. This, for example, is the earthen mantis (lat. Geomantis larvoides).

In the thoracic region of these insects, the front pair of limbs is especially well developed. Each of them consists of an elongated coxa, a trochanter, a femur, which is slightly longer in size than the coxa, a tibia, and a tarsus, consisting of 5 segments.

In its lower part, the thigh is studded with large sharp spines arranged in 3 rows, the drumstick also has spines, albeit smaller ones, and at the end of the drumstick there is a sharp needle-shaped hook. The last segments of the tarsi end in two rather large claws.

Along the entire length of the thigh there is a groove into which the shin is inserted, like the blade of a folding knife that retracts into the handle. Mantises capture their prey and hold it between the thigh and lower leg until the process of eating food is completed.

The middle and hind pairs of legs have a structure typical of arthropods.

Forelimbs of the praying mantis Otomantis scutigera. Photo credit: Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA 2.0

The circulatory system of mantises is quite primitively developed, which is a consequence of the way they breathe. The body is supplied with oxygen thanks to a complex branched system of tracheas, which are connected to spiracles (stigmas) lying on several segments of the abdomen, as well as located on the middle and posterior parts of the body. Expansions (air sacs) can form in the trachea, which increase ventilation of the entire respiratory system.

Sexual differences in mantises are quite pronounced and manifest themselves in the size of individuals: females are always much larger than males.

On the left is a female, on the right is a male common mantis. Left photo credit: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0. Photo on right: Nicolas Weghaupt, Public domain

Some mantises can reach a length of 17 cm, for example the species Ischnomantis gigas, which lives in Africa, or Heterochaeta orientalis, which is also called the oriental heterochaete and reaches a size of 16 cm.

Other mantises are very small in size and grow no more than 0.5-1.5 cm in length - such, for example, are the tiny mantises.

The body color of the praying mantis depends on environment, since it is camouflage in nature.

There are mantises that look like green leaves, flowers or sticks, while other species imitate tree bark, lichens, or even the black color of ashes after a fire.

The species Gonatista grisea is almost impossible to distinguish from the whitish growths on the tree. Photo by: Yaroslav Kuznetsov, CC BY-SA 4.0

Deroplatys lobata is very similar to the brown leaf. Photo credit: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 3.0

The species Choeradodis rhombicollis resembles green leaf tree. Photo by: Benjamint444, GFDL 1.2

Humbertiella sp. disguised as tree bark. Photo credit: L. Shyamal, CC BY-SA 3.0

It is unlikely that you will notice the praying mantis Pogonogaster tristani against a background of green moss. Photo credit: Leonardo Miranda Di Giambattista, CC BY-SA 3.0

Most praying mantises are green, yellow or brown, although there are species with brighter and more contrasting colors.

It is noteworthy that the colors of individuals of the same species can vary quite greatly, and also change after each molt.

Metallyticus splendidus shimmers different colors and has a metallic sheen in color. Photo by: 김준석

Enemies of Mantises

When attacked by an enemy (bird, or) or when meeting with a fellow rival, the mantises try to scare the enemy. They take a rather intimidating pose, spreading their wings like a fan, putting their front grasping legs forward and lifting the end of their abdomen up. This pose can be accompanied by threatening sounds. For example, the Sarawak mantis (lat. Hestiasula sarawaka) rustles its wings loudly and makes a clicking noise created by the contact of the upper part of the forelimb with the thigh. If the enemy turns out to be much stronger, the mantis prefers to retreat and flies away, however, seeing its advantage, it bravely confronts the enemy and often emerges victorious in such a fight.

Lifespan of praying mantises

The lifespan of a praying mantis depends on the species and ranges from 2 to 11 months. In captivity, some species can live up to 1.5 years.

Where does the praying mantis live?

The distribution area of ​​mantises is quite wide and covers almost all countries of Asia, Southern and Central Europe, as well as some countries in Africa, South America. It includes Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Malta, Syria, India, China and Iran. Populations are recorded in Yemen and Turkey, Malaysia and Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Israel. Some mantises live in Russia, Belarus, Tatarstan, Poland, and Germany. These insects were brought on merchant ships and took root in Australia and North America.

In tropical and subtropical conditions, mantises live not only in humid forests, where they settle in the branches of trees or shrubs, but also in sun-warmed rocky deserts. In Europe, these insects are common in steppe regions, as well as in spacious meadows.

Praying mantises rarely change their habitat, and if potential food is present around them in sufficient quantities, they will never leave the selected plant or individual branch. Active movements are resorted to during the mating period, when there is a lack of food supply in the habitat or, in rare cases, when attacked by natural enemies: birds, chameleons, snakes or larger relatives. Almost all species of mantises lead a diurnal active lifestyle.

What does a praying mantis eat?

The praying mantis is a predator and its diet usually consists of other small and large insects. Representatives of this detachment are not averse to feasting on the gape, or. Large individuals can attack and eat small amphibians (geckos), small birds and even small rodents.

These predators attack their victims from ambush. They grab prey with their forelimbs and hold it until they completely eat it. Powerful jaws and the structure of the oral apparatus allow these insects to chew even large prey into pieces.

Types of mantises, photos and names

There are more than 2,000 species of praying mantises. Below is a description of several varieties.

• Common praying mantis ( Mantis religiosa)

Lives in most countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. Its distribution area includes Portugal and Spain, Italy and France, Turkey, Germany, Austria and Poland, as well as numerous islands Mediterranean Sea. This species is found in Sudan and Egypt, in Israel and Iran, as well as in Russia, from the southern regions to the Primorsky Territory. Introduced populations have been recorded in Australia and North America. Common mantis is a rather large insect, the size of which reaches 4.8-7.6 cm in females and 4.0-6.1 cm in males. Individuals are colored green or brown with a yellow tint. The transparent wings of the praying mantis, trimmed with green or brown edging, are well developed. The rather long abdomen is ovoid in shape. Distinctive feature of this species is a black spot, which is located on both coxae of the front pair of legs with inside. Often a light mark is visible in the center of such a spot.

• Chinese mantis (Chinese bowing mantis) ( Tenodera aridifolia, Tenodera sinensis)

It is an endemic species that is naturally distributed throughout China. Adult female praying mantises reach 15 cm in length; males are much more modest in size. The color of these insects does not depend on gender and can be green or brown. Nymphs and juveniles lack wings. Chinese mantises acquire the ability to fly only after several molts. Vital activity Tenodera sinensis appears at night. Life expectancy is 5-6 months.

• Creob roter meleagris

Widely distributed in Bhutan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, Pakistan and other countries in the South Asian region. Adults can reach 5 centimeters in length. The main body color of the praying mantis is cream or white. Light-colored stripes of varying widths run throughout the body, head and paws. Brown. The elytra and pronotum are colored olive-green. On the elytra there is one small and one large spot of white or cream color. The larger spot has the shape of an ellipse, which is outlined in black at the top and bottom.

Taken from: www.nhm.ac.uk

• Creobroter gemmatus, which is also called Indian flower mantis

It is a typical inhabitant of the humid forests of India, Vietnam and other countries of South Asia. Mature males of this species of mantis reach a length of 38 mm, females are larger and grow up to 40 mm. The body of the insect is elongated, and the width of the pronotum is noticeably less than its length. There are several spines on the thighs different heights. The body is colored cream with brown or greenish spots. Both pairs of wings are well developed, and on the upper pair, which acts as elytra, there is a large bright spot that resembles an eye with two pupils and serves to scare away predators. The wings of males are longer than those of females. Due to the fact that the lower wings of the mantis, colored pink and brown at the base, have numerous membranes, the impression of a bizarre scaly pattern is created. The insect lives in plant flowers, where it waits for prey during the day.

• Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii

Lives in areas with hot and humid climates. Other unofficial names for this insect are spiky or spiny flower mantis. This species lives in the countries of southern and eastern Africa: Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, as well as Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion. The size of adults is quite modest. The length of females does not exceed 40 mm, and males – 30 mm. The coloring of these mantises is heterogeneous - it combines white, cream, pinkish, yellow and green tones. On the upper pair of wings there is a rather interesting pattern, reminiscent of a green eye or a small spiral. It is noteworthy that the curls of these spirals on the right and left wings are directed towards each other. These insects have spines not only on the surface of the forelimbs, but also on the abdomen - hence the name of this mantis.

Taken from the site: media1.webgarden.cz

• Orchid mantis ( Hymenopus coronatus)

Distributed in the tropical forests of India, Malaysia and Indonesia. This insect is considered one of the most beautiful representatives of the order. It received its name for its external resemblance to the flowers on which it hides in anticipation of its prey. A sexually mature female praying mantis has quite impressive dimensions and grows up to 80 mm in length. The size of males is much more modest and does not exceed 40 mm. Distinctive feature This species has wide forelimbs, a small head and thread-like antennae. The main body color of orchid mantises is white. However, it may vary depending on which flower the insect is lying in ambush. Various shades of pink, orange, yellow, lilac or purple. This type of mantis is characterized by increased aggressiveness. They can attack prey that is twice the size of the hunter. By the way, the larvae of the orchid mantis have a very unusual red and black coloring, which scares potential enemies away from them.

• Idolomantis diabolica , which is also called Damn flower or Devil's flower

It lives in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and other countries of East Africa, where it lives on the branches of bushes and trees. Adult mantises of this species are quite large in size. Females can reach a length of 14 cm with a wingspan of about 16 cm. Male mantises are slightly smaller in size than females and rarely exceed 11 cm in length. The color of these insects can vary from various shades of green to light brown. The spines located on the thighs of the front legs have different lengths. Three shorter ones are visible between the long spines. A distinctive feature of this species is the characteristic leaf-shaped appendages formed by expanded cuticles, which are located on the back, as well as on the middle and hind limbs. In addition, unlike other species, in Idolomantis diabolica the top of the head tapers into a cone shape. Praying mantises of this species are often kept in home terrariums.

Taken from the site: archiwum.allegro.pl

• Heterochaete eastern ( Heterochaeta orientalis), which also has an unofficial name spike-eyed mantis

Found in most African countries. The female praying mantis reaches 15 cm in length. Males are smaller in size and grow up to 12 cm. Due to the fact that these insects live in the branches of bushes, their appearance has unusual features that make them resemble twigs or twigs. In addition, these African mantises have spines located not only on the thighs and shins of the forelimbs, but also along the upper edges of the head, which is shaped like a triangle. This gives the impression that the insect's eyes are wrapped around these spines. This structure of the visual organs, combined with a long “neck” located between the head and prothorax, allows mantises of this species to easily notice prey or enemies not only in front and to the side, but also from behind. It is noteworthy that the insect’s body at this moment can remain completely motionless. The coloring of individuals depends on their age. If in the larval stage they are characterized by shades of brown, then the imago is characterized by light green shades.

Taken from the website: www.deine-tierwelt.de

• Empusa pennata

A species from the genus empusa, which is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Africa, in most Asian countries, as well as in Portugal, Spain and Andorra, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus. Adult male praying mantises are slightly smaller than females, which grow up to 10 cm in length. A distinctive feature of the praying mantis is a peculiar high growth on its head, resembling a kind of crown in shape. Males have comb-type antennae, and the head is crowned with additional spines that look like feathers. The color of the praying mantis depends on the environment and can change. These insects are characterized by green, yellow or pink colors, as well as various shades of brown.

• Phyllocrania paradoxa

It lives in rather arid regions of Africa, located south of the Sahara Desert, as well as on the island of Madagascar, where it lives in the branches of bushes and trees. Thanks to its peculiar body shape, reminiscent of a plant leaf, it can easily hide from natural enemies and successfully hunt small insects. This camouflage is provided by special outgrowths on the body and head of the mantis. Moreover, the processes on the male’s head are rather curved and slightly thinner than those of the females. Adults of this species have quite small sizes. Females grow to a maximum of 5 cm, males are smaller. Protective coloring varies depending on air humidity and temperature. If the air temperature is low and the humidity is high, the insects are green or gray-green in color. When humidity levels drop and temperatures rise, mantises turn brown or dark brown in color.

• Metallyticus splendidus

Lives in India, Malaysia, Sumatra and other countries South-East Asia. Hunts for prey in the branches of trees or shrubs, as well as under tree bark. Mature male mantises can reach a length of about 2 cm. Females are slightly larger and grow up to 3 cm in length. The body of these insects is slightly flattened from the back to the abdomen. Sexual dimorphism is expressed not only in size, but also in the color of individuals. Males are characterized by blue-green shades with a pronounced metallic tint blue color. In females, the body is colored green with shiny bronze wing covers.

• Ameles spallanziania

Widely distributed in Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, San Marino, Greece. The habitat of this species also includes Cyprus, Malta and other countries of Southern Europe and North Africa. The size of these insects is quite modest, with the length of males rarely exceeding 1 cm, and females can reach a length of 3 cm. You can also distinguish a male from a female by the presence of wings. If in males they are well developed and allow him to make fairly long flights, then in females this organ is reduced, so they are deprived of the ability to move through the air. The eyes of the praying mantis are conical in shape. The color of insects is not constant and can vary from bright colors green to brown and grey-brown. Unlike other species, these mantises have a short but strong hind limb.

• Blepharopsis mendica , which also has an unofficial name thistle mantis

Found in Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen and other countries in North Africa and southwestern Asia. These insects live in desert as well as mountainous areas. Males are slightly smaller in size than females, which can reach a length of 5.2-6.1 cm. In addition, the antennae of males have a comb structure. Distinctive feature The species also has a characteristic growth on the top of the head. There are many spines on the lateral surface of the thigh and lower leg. different sizes. The color of individuals can be greenish or brownish with numerous white spots that merge into bizarre patterns.

• Rhombodera basalis

It lives in the tropical zone of Malaysia, Thailand and India. Adult females can grow up to 8-9 cm in length, males are slightly smaller. A characteristic feature of the praying mantis is its slightly enlarged pronotum, resembling a diamond shape. The body and wing covers of the insect are colored turquoise-green with a blue tint. The rear pair of membranous wings are partially colored in bright pink tones.

• Malaysian leaf mantis ( Deroplatys dessicata)

Widely distributed both in the tropical forests of Malaysia or Indonesia, and in wet thickets in Sumatra and Borneo. Female Malaysian leaf mantises are much larger in size than males. Their length can reach 15 cm, while males grow to a maximum of 6 cm. This species has good camouflage abilities due to the special shape of the head and body, which give it a resemblance to withered foliage. Therefore, the color of the insect has a rather narrow color palette, including all shades of brown.

• Deroplatys lobata

It lives in the rainforests of Malaysia, as well as in tropical thickets on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Prefers to hunt in the foliage of trees or small shrubs, as well as in their upturned roots. In appearance, these insects strongly resemble withered leaves, which serves them not only as an excellent camouflage that protects them from enemies, but also helps them hide and wait for prey. The color of the body and legs is uniform and can be different shades of gray or brown. Adult females grow up to 8 cm in length, while males barely reach 5 cm. Unlike females, males have developed wings, so they can fly, but females have lost this ability due to reduced wings.

• Aethalochroa insignis

Lives in India. This is a very large insect, 15-20 cm long, including antennae. The praying mantis' excellent camouflage makes it look like a dry blade of grass.

For a person who is just about to take home any predatory animal, this is perhaps the most difficult preparatory stage. Not everyone is ready to feed someone to someone, even if they are already dead. This trick won’t work with a praying mantis either, because they only hunt moving objects and are unlikely to eat a corpse under normal conditions. And the main food for praying mantises is their closest relatives - cockroaches. That is, not only will you have to watch a praying mantis eat someone alive, but you will also have to specifically keep a culture of cockroaches at home. It sounds terrible, but it's not all bad. We are not talking about domestic cockroaches, but tropical ones, which in the conditions of our apartment, even if they escape, will not be able to live for long (an individual individual can last a couple of months without food, but will not be capable of growth and reproduction). Yes, and they look much nicer, although, depending on who... Write about content of certain feed crops I won’t, there is enough information about this on the Internet. And we have a theme of praying mantises and what they eat, so we’ll make a short list.

Springtail (Collembola). ! This section is temporarily under development (I apologize for the inconvenience caused to your praying mantises). !

Drosophila. Fruit fly is the ideal and most popular food for early instar nymphs. It is sold in glasses along with the substrate in almost all major cities, and, if desired, you can dilute it yourself on fermented fruits (banana, apple, etc.).

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There are many (more than 2000) species of praying mantis. Some of them are available to insect lovers. For example, the African Mantis species, which are suitable for beginners. Check local laws before deciding to keep a praying mantis as a pet, as it may be illegal where you are.

This is an unusual pet.

Size

Sizes vary from 1 inch to 6 or more in length, depending on species and gender. However, the most common types of mantises are in the 2-3 inch range.

Expected life span

The life expectancy of a praying mantis varies by species, but the maximum is about a year. Most will only live to six months of age (less for some species).

Characteristics

Praying mantises exist in a huge range of sizes, shapes, and colors. Some look like twigs (they use it as camouflage), some resemble crumpled dead leaves, others. They live in tropical climates. However, all are carnivores, feeding mainly on other insects and spiders; some of the larger ones can eat small amphibians and reptiles.

Housing for a female praying mantis

Females should be housed separately. Typically, the terrarium should be at least twice as wide and three times as tall as the insect itself. But if the terrarium is too large, it will have difficulty finding prey.

1 meter – good size for most praying mantises. A height of 12 inches is important to provide shedding space. A mesh upper is preferred, and holes in the mesh on the side are helpful.

Substrate

Use a substrate one or two inches long of soil, peat mixed with sand, or vermiculite at the bottom of the tank. This will help retain moisture. Provide several branches reaching to the top of the tank, as the mantis will need space to hang from the branch to molt.

Facts about praying mantises

• The terms mantid and mantis are often used interchangeably. Technically the term mantid is the right way refer to all mantids. The term praying mantis originally referred to a specific species ( Mantis religiosa, a European species), but are now widely used to refer to any of the large family of mantids. "Pleading" comes from the way they hold their front legs as if in prayer.
• Insects go through a simple, incomplete metamorphosis, so instead of having a larval stage (like a caterpillar), they emerge as very small wingless replicas of the adults (nymphs). They grow and mature through several successive molts.
• Praying mantises are sold in gardening stores as aids pest control.

The domestic praying mantis is a very unusual pet to keep at home. This insect is graceful, quick-witted and very interesting to watch. In addition, it is a dangerous predator for insects living in your home, such as cockroaches and crickets, because mantises belong to the class of carnivorous insects.

Most mantises live on continents with tropical climates, but sometimes you can find some representatives in the northern parts of the earth. Grasshoppers and stick insects are related to them. All these types of insects, including praying mantises, are subject to several stages of metamorphosis, which transform them into adults. The domestic praying mantis is a rare pet even in the homes of extravagant breeders, but today we will talk about it. So, let's highlight a few main points that should be considered when keeping a praying mantis at home.

A little about the insect

An adult praying mantis can be quite large in size - his length may be ten and more centimeters.

The color of this insect can be yellow, green, light brown or other, V dependencies from the surrounding environment. Having ability To mimicry from nature, mantis Maybe merge with branches, plants And stones having a similar color, and therefore it will be very difficult to notice.

He has a triangular, highly mobile head, which he can rotate 180 degrees. The front legs are well developed with sharp spines, with which it grabs its prey and holds it while eating. The praying mantis also has wings, but it flies very poorly, so most often it sits motionless in one place, waiting for prey.

The lifespan of a domestic mantis is about two months, but individual species, according to some sources, can live for about a year.

Temperature

Since insects are tropical inhabitants, accordingly, it is necessary to keep a praying mantis at home in temperature conditions from 20 to 25°C, while also observing the required humidity regime. Maintaining humidity in the praying mantis cage is not difficult, just spray water over the cage once a day, this will be enough.

How does a domestic praying mantis feed?

What to feed a praying mantis at home? Such pets prefer aphids, flies, and other insects of suitable size. Young individuals grow very quickly, provided that the owner feeds them well.

Many representatives of mantises can show aggression towards their relatives, so cannibalism is quite possible, especially if there is a significant difference in size between individuals. Pet praying mantises can also consume insects that are the same size, or perhaps even larger than themselves.
Praying mantises do not drink water in most cases; however, a container of water should be placed where they are kept. This will also serve as a source of moisture to maintain the desired microclimate. If there is no container, spraying water to provide humidity will be a necessary condition.

Living conditions

During the stages of its development, the praying mantis tends to shed its skin, thus increasing in size. For individuals that have just been born, a small container will be an excellent home, but for teenagers you can use a jar or something similar in size. The temporary housing of young mantises should be covered with film, after making a hole in it for feeding. A necessary condition is the presence of branches in a container, which should be exactly three times larger in size than the young growth.

Features of reproduction

When kept at home, a young mantis has almost no gender difference, but adult individuals can be easily recognized due to the fact that males have eight lobes on the abdomen, but females have only six. Before insects begin to mate, they need to be fed. big amount feed, while separating from each other. To prevent the male from becoming food for the female, a container is needed large sizes, where the breeding process will take place. The whole action may take several minutes or days, but the presence of food is required. After mating is over, the male is separated from the female.

A female can produce eggs ranging from 30 to 300 eggs. The larvae will be born in an interval of 3 to 6 months, but they may not all hatch at once.

The main nuance for keeping praying mantises at home is the presence of a large container for their habitat, which must necessarily contain live food, as well as the opportunity for its inhabitants to hide. By observing these requirements, cannibalism will be excluded, however, after the insects have moulted several times, they must be seated.

If you want to have yourself unusual insect, then a domestic praying mantis is ideal. This insect is undemanding in maintenance and does not take up much space. Such a pet can be caught in the wild or purchased at a pet store.

And if you haven’t yet chosen a pet to match yours, pay attention to the terrible one - the hero of Hollywood horror films or his eternal enemy -.

Breeding mantises is another step beyond just keeping them! This can be very interesting and educational, but at the same time it is much more difficult than simply keeping one or more individuals as pets. To breed, you need one or more opposite-sex pairs that have reached the adult stage at about the same time. Then you need to make sure that the female does not eat the male before mating occurs. Once the fertilized eggs are laid in the ootheca, you will need to take care of them to ensure that healthy nymphs hatch.

The difficulty of breeding and rearing nymphs varies greatly between species. Some species are relatively easy to propagate, while others can only be propagated by very experienced terrarium keepers. In the section with descriptions of species, you can read about the difficulties and characteristics of specific species.

Getting a pair (male and female)

To have offspring, you need a male and a female. Female stick insects, aphids, and some other insects are capable of producing viable eggs without the participation of a male (parthenogenesis), but almost all praying mantises require fertilization for the eggs to develop. You can read how to determine gender.

To ensure the possibility of mating, the male and female must molt into adults at approximately the same time. An old male is often unable to mate properly with a female. For most species, getting a mate within a few weeks of each other gives them the opportunity to mate, but for others it doesn't work. In some species, such as Hymenopus coronatus, there is a large difference in the development of males and females. Males and females from the same ooteca mature into different terms, sometimes the difference is months. The male will already die of old age before the female reaches maturity.

How to connect a pair

For most species, you can follow the following "recipe" to ensure cannibal mating.

• The male and female must reach adult stage at least 2 weeks ago.
• Both partners, especially the female, must be very well fed.
• Place the partners in a very large terrarium, the largest you can find.
• Make sure that the female does not collide with the male, but he sees her.
• Give the female a large food item, such as a cockroach.
• Don't bother them.
• Observe whether the female behaves aggressively, how she turns, moving towards the male, or whether she attacks him. See if the male is trying to escape or fly away. If any of these things happen, remove the male and try again the next day.
• Once a male has mounted a female, it may take many hours before he begins to mate. Just leave them, don't bother them or feed them.
• When the male gets off the female, remove him from the terrarium.

For species that are not (very) prone to cannibalism, such as Phyllocrania paradoxa, you don't need to do anything other than place partners in the same terrarium.

You cannot know for sure whether the female has been impregnated. She will lay oothecae even if she has not mated. Once the female's body has processed the male's spermatophore, you may find a small white spermatophore released from her body a few hours to a day after mating. If you see this, the mating was probably successful, but even then you can't be 100% sure.

Once a female has mated, she will remain fertilized for the rest of her life! It is prudent to mate her again with a male if she has produced a lot of edema (say 4-5 pieces).

Preservation of a living male

When mating, the male may be eaten by the female. This can happen before, during or after the process. This is something you'll have to deal with, especially if you're keeping species that are prone to cannibalism, but there are ways to reduce the chance of the male dying.

• Give the female REALLY plenty of food before introducing the male.
• Make the female eat the prey when the male appears.
• Place the pair in a large container or even a room so the male can escape. They usually see the female's plans.
• Make sure both partners are calm and not stressed by your manipulation of them.
• Place the male in the evening rather than in the morning or afternoon.

If you breed praying mantises this way, even the most cannibalistic species will kill no more than 10% of your males. And even when the male is killed during mating, the female can still become fertilized.

Demonstration video on how to prevent an aggressive female from eating a male: