# Do mantids continue to molt after the get their wings?



## luther (Aug 8, 2004)

When a mantis molts into it's winged form is that it's final molt?  Any that I've kept have died a few months after they developed wings.  Is this right or am I getting their care wrong?


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## cichlidsman (Aug 8, 2004)

sorry i could'en answere your question. but i have a question for myself. how long do they live after they get there wings?


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## Brian S (Aug 8, 2004)

I may be able to answer this...

They will not molt after they get their wings. They will only live a few months after the final molt. Last year I did manage to keep a wild caught Chinese Mantid alive until the 2nd week of December which I thought was good. Seems like females will last a little longer than males. I have never had a male last much past October. The only species I have kept is the Carolina Mantid and the Chinese Mantid.
Hope that helps


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## cichlidsman (Aug 8, 2004)

Brian S said:
			
		

> I may be able to answer this...
> 
> They will not molt after they get their wings. They will only live a few months after the final molt. Last year I did manage to keep a wild caught Chinese Mantid alive until the 2nd week of December which I thought was good. Seems like females will last a little longer than males. I have never had a male last much past October. The only species I have kept is the Carolina Mantid and the Chinese Mantid.
> Hope that helps


if someone ordered one(a young one) from a pet store or something, how long would someone expect it to live?


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## Brian S (Aug 8, 2004)

Depending on the species but I would say a year or a little less. I have heard that thr tropical species will live longer than those of temperate regions. I have never kept any of them so I couldn't tell you how much longer.


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## Brian S (Aug 8, 2004)

If i ever order any exotic mantids. I will try to get about 3 or 4 and try to breed them. That way I wouldn't have to keep buying new ones every year. I have never tried breeding them, but from what I have heard it isn't very hard to do for most species. I would like to have some of the orchid mantids and the dead-leaf mantids as well.


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## jezzy607 (Aug 8, 2004)

Mantids do not molt again after becoming adult(winged).  Different species and individuals within a species, have different lifespans.  Temperate species seem to have the shortest(T. sinensis, M. religiosa, S. carolina), generally only living a total of 10 months or less.  I myself have had a Sphodromantis lineola female live a year after becoming adult(a total of almost 15 months), but most lived 6-10 months after becoming adult.


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