Another mantis ID

[P. Novak]

Found near New Hogan Resovoir near Valley Springs, California. About 3-4" long.

Here's some pictures my friend took.

 

[thebugwife]

This "Dude" is a Stagmomantis californica or California Mantis. They are really the only thing you find here in California, and you can find them pretty much all over the state.

 

[P. Novak]

This "Dude" is a Stagmomantis californica or California Mantis. They are really the only thing you find here in California, and you can find them pretty much all over the state.

Thanks alot! Now when you say dude you're referring to it as a male right? Why is it a male?

 

[thebugwife]

Well I cant tell by the picture actually. The males and females have different #s of segments on their abdomen. Can you count the segments? Then I could tell you!

 

[P. Novak]

Well I cant tell by the picture actually. The males and females have different #s of segments on their abdomen. Can you count the segments? Then I could tell you!

I'll tell my friend to count them, cause it's in his posession not mine. How many segments does each gender have?

 

[thedude]

I'll tell my friend to count them, cause it's in his posession not mine. How many segments does each gender have?

8 is a female i do belive than 6 is the male if not just reverse the rolls

 

[P. Novak]

8 is a female i do belive than 6 is the male if not just reverse the rolls

Alright cool thanks, I'll let my friend know!

 

[padkison]

It is an adult due to the wings and a female since the wings do not cover the whole abdomen. Males will be much skinnier and have full length wings.

Here is a mating pair of Carolina mantids which are in the same genus. Note the male (on top )

 

[Farom]

Found near New Hogan Resovoir near Valley Springs, California. About 3-4" long.

Here's some pictures my friend took.

Well, its blatantly obvious that its female, lol. Males don't look anything like that(as described in above post).
Also, Stagmomantis limbata is found in CA as well, but it very well could be californica. Its difficult to differentiate the two.

 

[P. Novak]

It is an adult due to the wings and a female since the wings do not cover the whole abdomen. Males will be much skinnier and have full length wings.

Here is a mating pair of Carolina mantids which are in the same genus. Note the male (on top )

Well, its blatantly obvious that its female, lol. Males don't look anything like that(as described in above post).
Also, Stagmomantis limbata is found in CA as well, but it very well could be californica. Its difficult to differentiate the two.

Thanks, both of you! Now I know my friend has a female. We actually caught a male as well, because it looks exactly like your male padkison, but a funny thing happened..

My friend took it out of the container cause he wanted to hold it and what do you know, it flies up into a tree. Oh it doesn't end there..WHAM! A bird comes from a higher branch and grabs the poor fellow, then takes off to a different tree with his meal. :wall:

 

[chelicera]

8 is a female i do belive than 6 is the male if not just reverse the rolls

Is that true for all the praying mantises?

 

[thebugwife]

Eight segments can be counted on the underside of the abdomen of a male and six on that of the female (in some species the end segments are difficult to see and only seven or five may be counted). hahaha...I don't know why I didn't just say that to begin with :wall:

 

[thedude]

Is that true for all the praying mantises?

as far as i know

 

[thedude]

Thanks, both of you! Now I know my friend has a female. We actually caught a male as well, because it looks exactly like your male padkison, but a funny thing happened..

My friend took it out of the container cause he wanted to hold it and what do you know, it flies up into a tree. Oh it doesn't end there..WHAM! A bird comes from a higher branch and grabs the poor fellow, then takes off to a different tree with his meal. :wall:

WOW... all that hype just to be bird food, gotta feel sorry for him

 

[thebugwife]

Is that true for all the praying mantises?

pretty much some its harder to tell then others and of course the smaller they are the harder it is to tell the difference.

Male Mantis have longer bodies than the smaller but fatter females, the male main part of the body or thorax is comprised of 8 visible segments whereas the females thorax has only 6. Some species have color variations due to gender, but some do not.

 

[P. Novak]

WOW... all that hype just to be bird food, gotta feel sorry for him

Yea it was a sad thing. Poor guy gets caught, gets away, and gets eaten. I can just see him now...

Mantis: "I'm free, I'm free!"
Bird: "Chirrrrrppp Chirp"
Mantis: "Oh s**t!"

 

[Farom]

LOL, that sucks! Funny story though.:clap: