Arilus cristatus

[l4nsky]

Hola,

So I managed to capture three tiny wheel bug nymphs earlier this summer. When I say tiny, I mean tiny lol.

For reference, thats a bamboo skewer. This picture is from 6/22.


Here's the same one from today next to another bamboo skewer. They're vicious little things and highly visual hunters. They'll watch me intently as I work in and around their enclosures, changing positions to keep me in their sight, always expecting food.

So does anyone else have any experience with them, specifically sexing immature specimens, keeping them communally, or with breeding?

Thanks,
--Matt

 

[Arthroverts]

From what little I know they are difficult to breed because females won’t lay eggs in captivity easily (I can’t think of any successful reports of lays actually), and I’ve heard of a few people getting all male specimens, making me also wonder if this species is skewed towards males.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I have managed to get them to lay eggs in captivity twice. Mine were both in deli cups when it happened. The first one was laid on a cloth lid, and it faired much better. The second one was on a vented plastic lid and some of the excretion used to adhere the eggs to the lid ended up trapping nymphs when they emerged because whatever it was never dried. Now, beyond oviposition, I am not much help. The first batch did at least do better emerging on the cloth lid, but they did not seem to eat and died soon after. This event, however, was back near the beginning of my insect keeping, and if you have raised these nymphs, then you will likely have much better success than I had.

Mating in Captivity

Eggs of the first batch

 

[l4nsky]

Fingers crossed.

 

[l4nsky]

@The Mantis Menagerie, guess it's time to see what my luck is.

 

[l4nsky]

From what little I know they are difficult to breed because females won’t lay eggs in captivity easily (I can’t think of any successful reports of lays actually), and I’ve heard of a few people getting all male specimens, making me also wonder if this species is skewed towards males.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

All three that I originally caught ended up being males. Luckily, I did find this mature female in the same area.