Found a mantis lastnight......Need help

Trey

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
292
Ok, I was out with some friends at the local coffee house lastnight and say this big praying mantis on the building and I thought I would catch it. I don't know much about them as i've only owned one in my life and it lived about 4 days after laying a sac. I live in TN so does anyone know what types im likely to run across living here. I would get a pic but my digital camera is down right now. Also, How should I take care of this guy? I have him in a 20 gal for the time being but im unsure about giving it a water bowl or just misting? He has already eaten a few crickets but any help is greatly appriciated.Thanks, Trey
 

Mr. Mordax

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
2,301
Misting, something to hang from, and it should be OK.

If it's a big ol' thing (assuming it's an adult), it's more likely to be a chinese mantis. The only other species I'm familiar with that's established in North America is the european mantid, and they're slightly smaller than the chinese.

If it's big and plant-colored (brown / green / yellow), it's probably one of those two. Does it have eyespots in the "armpit" area? Europeans have a white spot with a dark ring around it, chinese just have a dark patch.
 

TNeal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Messages
211
Feed it daily and mist it every 3 days or say
I actually get my adults wet when I spray them and they drink from their own bodies. If they want more then they go after the droplets in the enclosure.

Try to feed it a much of a varied diet as you can for good health. They will eat just about any insect prey item.

Good luck,

Tom
 

Mr. Mordax

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
2,301
Daily feeding isn't always necessary. Some species can be overfed, and I accidentaly gave a giant Indian mantis a hernia last year from overfeeding.
 

mantisfu

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3
mantis

It is probobly a chinese mantis. You don't have to feed it everyday, but be sure to mist it periodically. The chinese is a very hardy species.
 

Trey

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
292
Ok thanks guys.....I would say it's a chinese mantid. Now that thats known how can I tell if it's a male or female? Also how long do they live. Sorry for my ignorance in the subject, Trey
 

Mr. Mordax

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
2,301
Females have a broader body than the males do, and shorter antennae relative to body length. In other words, females are shaped like () and males are shaped like ||.

Another way to tell is that in males, the genitals look like a miniature pair of cerci between the normal cerci, whereas females just have a slit-like opening between the cerci, on the dorsal (topside) of the last abdominal segment.

Here is a female European mantis and here is a male. The body differences aren't so apparent in these pictures but the antennae length is. Sexing Chinese mantids should work by looking at the antennae as well.

Regarding age, the maximum lifespan for a tropical mantid is around 300 days (except for ghost mantids, which develop very slowly). Temperate species such as the Chinese or European mantids tend to hatch in mid summer and die by the first freeze in October-ish. If it's an adult, it may only have around two months left. :(
 
Top