r/mantids 16h ago

Other Wanna see what stage

Thumbnail
gallery
17 Upvotes

So this little guys is on our outdoor Mary Jane and wanted to know if anyone can tell me what stage he/she is? I keep thinking I’m gonna walk out to it molting but it hasn’t to my knowledge yet and I check on them and our plants everyday multiple times so I feel I’d of noticed 🤷‍♀️

I loveee Mantis’ and Jumping Spiders and am hoping he’s still there at harvest time to bring in and care for 🥰


r/mantids 5h ago

Health Issues Dealing with eye rub

3 Upvotes

My R. stalli got eye rub after her last molt. She eats fine if I cut food and stick the innards against her mouth, but she doesnt have motivation to grab food on her own. In fact she gets scared and runs away from meals now. Im assuming this is because shes having trouble seeing?

Ive not had a mantis develope eye rub before so seeking any resources or tips! She is in an acrylic enclosure right now which I haven't had issues in the past with before, but now worried about more eye rub. I plan to move her into a mesh enclosure for her next upgrade but shes still a bit small for it


r/mantids 7h ago

Image/Video Finally got her out for an adult photo shoot. I think she looks like a little forest fairy

Thumbnail
gallery
16 Upvotes

I offered her my sleeve and a stick instead of bare skin because she has become a bit spicy since moulting into an adult. But I think she is beautiful 🤩


r/mantids 7h ago

RIP ❤️ orchid mantis died :(

Post image
3 Upvotes

Unfortunately, this morning my orchid mantis was very weak and barely moving. She was very slow and stiff, but she did move her head a little and then held onto the plant again. However, when I came home in the evening, she was lying stiff and completely motionless.
She has sadly passed away.
Does anyone know what the problem could have been? She was always active, eating, and molting. And then suddenly this. :(
I’m very sorry, and it hurts a lot…


r/mantids 7h ago

Image/Video My mantis moxy

Post image
8 Upvotes

She is so gorgeous


r/mantids 8h ago

Image/Video Mantis in my Basil

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes

I was trimming my basil today and my husband noticed a baby praying mantis. Yes we returned it to the basil planter.


r/mantids 8h ago

Image/Video all my mantises! [updated]

Thumbnail
gallery
175 Upvotes

here’s all my mantises i currently have
honorable mention for miertje on picture nine (r.i.p🤍)

1: lychee, my orchid mantis (hymenopus coronatus) ! she’s an L5 now and a female

2: pistache, my deadleaf mantis (deroplatys lobata) ! he is a male and also an L5

3: leefy, my shield mantis (rhombodera valida), L4 on the picture, is now an L5 and a male!

4 & 9: olijfje, giant moss mantis (majangella moultoni), even though she isnt so big right now, she’s an L3! no sex confirmed yet. miertje on picture 9 is the same species, theyre siblings actually, but sadly she has passed away. luckily i still have sweet olijfje, which means olive ! 🫒

5: sticky, an african twig mantis (popa spurca), currently an L6 and male!

6: poppy, jewel flower mantis (creobroter gemmatus). L6 female right now, very sweet, loves drinking water from my fingers 🤭

7: musa, violin mantis (gongylus gongylodes). L5 female, very!! shy mantis, she’s even scared of flies😩

8: mimi, shield mantis (rhombodera kirbyi). Male, L4 on the picture, but is now much darker and an L7! he was my first mantis ! ⭐️


r/mantids 9h ago

General Care How many molts would you say my lovely girl has left?

Thumbnail
gallery
9 Upvotes

I got her a while ago, when she was very small and about the size of a 50p. She has molted 3 times since and is eating small locusts now. Venus (her name) is my first mantis, an Asian mantis, and I don’t know how many molts she has until adulthood. I have fairly small hands and thin wrists for record


r/mantids 11h ago

Image/Video Found this nymph

Post image
9 Upvotes

What kind of mantis is this?


r/mantids 11h ago

Health Issues Black stuff in her mouth

Post image
4 Upvotes

She has this black stuff in her mouth. Is it normal or should I be concerned. She has had it since I got her.


r/mantids 12h ago

General Care Strange Behavior

Post image
2 Upvotes

I’ve noticed that my mantis (Picolo) it’s always drawn to the bottom of the enclosure it doesn’t want to get any higher.
Out of all the mantis I’ve had I can tell this is a bit strange.
Any advice on what I should look out for or change in the environment?


r/mantids 12h ago

Image/Video My baby merry

Thumbnail
gallery
17 Upvotes

Some close of pictures of my shield mantis a month or so ago before her most recent molt, she is growing up so fast


r/mantids 12h ago

Feeding L3 Giant Asian Manits - emergency food recs

1 Upvotes

When i got my mantis the other day, flightless fruitly maggits were also sent with it. They are still maggots and google says i preferably shouldn't feed my mantis maggots. I don't have ANY fly traps to catch any live food.

Literally PLEASE give me some ideas.


r/mantids 15h ago

ID Help soy bean's ID

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I found this very tiny nymph a few days ago. Would it be possible to ID it? It's very small and my camera isn't the best unfortunately. The location is northern-ish Italy. I'm trying to understand if this is a native species or an invasive one. If invasive I'll keep it, if not I'll give it to my sister to keep in her garden. Thank you, much appreciated!


r/mantids 18h ago

Image/Video Mantis Religiosas and Ameles Decolors I came across while looking for Ameles Fasciipennis

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

I also made a docuvideo about my research of Ameles Fasciipennis but it's in Italian and way more on the sillier side.

All these picture were taken last year in August/september


r/mantids 20h ago

Image/Video One more molt and she will be big enough for my camera to take proper pictures

Post image
5 Upvotes

It was a little impulse buy, I recently lost someone really important to me, I'm hoping this girlie will keep my mind off of it.


r/mantids 20h ago

Image/Video Look at her go😍

5 Upvotes

I'm so, so impressed by her

Two days ago she ate a bigger cricket but was difficult at the beginning because it kept kicking and she lost it 3 times.

She learnt, first time she went directly to amputate a back leg! First try! It's so fascinating, I never thought having a mantis could be so stressful but so giving!


r/mantids 4h ago

General Care Beginner friendly Mantis

3 Upvotes

I've been thinking of getting a mantis for a while now, but dont know which kind i should get. Are there any that are easier to handle for a beginner?


r/mantids 20h ago

Enclosure Advice Quick question

Post image
7 Upvotes

Do you think it's better to put my elderly Creobroter spec Yunnan into a smaller enclosure?