Insect praying mantis: what it eats, where it lives, how it hibernates. What to feed the praying mantis with? Detailed analysis of food items What can you feed praying mantis except for insects

Today, praying mantises are increasingly kept as pets. Such insects do not emit unpleasant odors or annoying sounds. They don't need a lot of space in the apartment. Let's find out what the maintenance of a praying mantis involves at home? What are the subtleties of caring for such a pet?

Where to get a praying mantis and how much does it cost?

Before you figure out what are the features of keeping a praying mantis at home, a photo of which can be seen in our article, let's find out where to get such an unusual pet. These predators can be seen in some exotic animal stores. An alternative option is online shopping.

People who have not previously contained insects should pay attention to the African praying mantis, which is unpretentious in care and relatively inexpensive - about 500 rubles. For comparison, the same one costs about 3000 rubles. The most beautiful, unusual and expensive species is called the devil's flower. The price of such a pet is from 10 thousand rubles.

What do praying mantises eat?

What is the maintenance and feeding of the praying mantis at home? Proper feeding is of particular importance. In the warm season, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, which you can catch on the street, can become food for such a pet. As for the natural habitat of these predators, here they do not disdain even stinging insects, such as wasps and bees.

Keeping a praying mantis at home during the winter requires buying food from a pet supply store. Chowder grubs, all kinds of crickets, caterpillars, cockroaches, bloodworms will do. Some of these insects are worth trying to grow at home. However, do not catch ordinary Prussians for the praying mantis, since they can be contaminated with chemicals. Spiders are often dangerous for such a pet, since some of them are poisonous.

Feeding features

It should be noted right away that the process of eating prey by the praying mantis is an amusing sight. This predator prefers to carefully disassemble the prey in parts, slowly chewing on individual pieces and discarding solid chitin aside.

There are several ways to offer food to your pet: by launching victims into his home, or serving with tweezers. If the first option is preferred, in this case the insect, which is used as a feed, must be slightly pressed down in advance. Thus, it will be easier for the praying mantis to catch mobile prey. Be that as it may, it is extremely important for this predator that the prey is alive.

It is imperative to check whether the pet eats all the food on offer. For example, bloodworms and caterpillars dry out too quickly. Their decaying remains can spread infections. Therefore, all scraps of insects must be removed from the mantis dwelling.

An important principle of keeping a praying mantis at home is its restriction in food. Adults are extremely voracious. Overeating praying mantises can die as a result of abdominal damage. It should also be borne in mind that the more food such a predatory insect consumes, the shorter its life will last.

Where to lodge a pet?

Keeping a praying mantis at home requires the preparation of a special home. The most suitable option is a terrarium with good ventilation. The minimum parameters of such a container should be 15x15x20 centimeters. The interior space should not be empty. All kinds of twigs need to be placed here. After all, the praying mantis needs objects on which to crawl. Artificial or live plants will be a good decor.

The simplest and most affordable housing for such a pet looks like an ordinary plastic container. You can also use a glass aquarium. In the latter case, it will be possible to freely observe the behavior of the insect. If you plan to keep praying mantises at home in order to breed them, you need to take care of preparing several terrariums. After all, these predators are capable of demonstrating rather aggressive behavior towards their relatives.

Praying mantises love warmth. In their home, a comfortable temperature should be maintained at a level of at least 23 o C. An ordinary light bulb, which will also serve as lighting, will become a good heater. If you wish, you can spend money on buying a heating pad. However, it should be borne in mind that the heat is also destructive for praying mantises. It is important that the temperature in the insect's dwelling does not exceed 30 o C. The situation will be controlled by using a small thermometer that can be fixed on the wall of the terrarium.

How to water a praying mantis?

Like any other living thing, such an insect will need access to moisture. For these purposes, you can use a container with a spray, with which it is enough to spray water on the walls of the pet's dwelling. In addition, to prevent the mantis from feeling thirsty, a small lid filled with liquid should be placed in the terrarium. Several sticks should be placed next to such a drinker, for which the insect can hold.

Is a praying mantis dangerous for humans?

Despite their predatory nature, such pets are not able to harm the owner. Praying mantises are absolutely not poisonous. Only in some cases can these insects perceive the human finger as a potential prey. However, their jaws are too weak to bite through the skin and cause significant pain.

There are some tips for keeping at home:

You should be careful when handling your pet. In no case should the insect fall from a great height. Otherwise, the praying mantis can get injured, which will lead to its death.
The more often people are near the terrarium, the faster the insect will be domesticated. So that such a pet does not show aggression towards others and does not feel fear, it must be picked up periodically.
It is necessary to ensure that excess liquid does not accumulate in the praying mantis dwelling. This oversight can lead to the development of pathogens in the substrate and attract small insect pests.
It is much better to spend energy on self-raising a pet than to acquire an adult. In this case, keeping a praying mantis at home will bring much more pleasure.

This is one of the most unusual and mysterious insects on our planet. It differs from many others in its habits, lifestyle, some behavioral features that can shock. First of all, this is behavior during the mating season. But this is not the main feature of the mantis insect. In this article, we will tell you in detail about this amazing creature, about its lifestyle, varieties, habitats. You will learn what the praying mantis feeds on, how the breeding process takes place.

Spread

The praying mantis is widespread in South and Central Europe, South and North America, Asia, Australia, Africa. These insects do not live only in the northern regions, since they have an extremely negative attitude to the cold. But in the humid and hot climate of tropical Africa and South America, they feel great.

They feel no less comfortable in tropical forests, in rocky deserts, in steppe regions. The mantis insect rather rarely moves, preferring its habitat to distant and unknown territories. The only reason that can make him go on a trip is the lack of feed.

Species of praying mantises

Scientists believe that our planet is inhabited by about two thousand different species of these insects. Naturally, we will not be able to present you all the varieties in this article, but we will tell you about the most, in our opinion, unusual representatives of this family.

Common praying mantis

This is a rather large representative of the species: the female is up to seven centimeters long, the male is about six. In the countries of Europe, Africa and Asia, where the mantis of this species lives, it can be distinguished by its egg-shaped abdomen and black spots located on the front pairs of legs from the inside. They are usually painted green or brown. This species has well-developed wings. In any case, the praying mantis flies from branch to branch quite easily.

Chinese mantis

From the name it can be understood that China is the homeland and place of distribution. It is a large insect, reaching a length of fifteen centimeters. The male Chinese praying mantis is much smaller. They are painted green or brown. The peculiarity of this species is its nocturnal lifestyle, although its relatives sleep at night.

In addition, juveniles of this variety do not have wings: they only grow after a few molts.

Creobroter meleagris

He is a resident of India, Cambodia, Vietnam and a number of Asian countries. In length, such insects reach five centimeters. Painted in cream or white. Their distinctive feature is the light brown stripes running along the head and throughout the body. In addition, one small and larger cream colored spot can be seen on the wings.

Flower mantis (Indian)

Creobroter gemmatus is common in the forests of Vietnam, South India and other Asian countries. This species does not differ in large size: females grow up to only four centimeters, and males are slightly smaller. The body is elongated. For additional protection from enemies on the hips of representatives of this species, special spikes of various heights are located.

Orchid mantis

In our opinion, this is the most spectacular praying mantis. It got its name for a reason - for its amazing external resemblance to beautiful flowers, orchids. It is on them that the insect sets up an ambush in anticipation of the victim. Females of this species are twice as large as males: eight and four centimeters. Orchid mantises, even among their fellows, are distinguished by amazing courage: they attack even insects that are more than twice their size.

Spiny Flower Mantis

Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii is an inhabitant of Africa. It closely resembles the Indian flower mantis. Its color is especially interesting: on the upper pair of wings you can see a pattern that resembles a spiral. On the abdomen of representatives of this species there are thorns, which gave the name to the species. Representatives of this species are painted in cream shades.

They fly well, both males and females, due to their low weight, moreover, the wings of such insects are well developed. Interestingly, these insects have spots on them that resemble an eye with two pupils, which, according to the researchers, are capable of scaring away predators. Representatives of the species live in the flowers of plants, where they watch for their prey.

History of the name of insects

In 1758, the name of this insect was given by the Swedish traveler and scientist Karl Linnaeus, who drew attention to the usual pose of the mantis, which is in ambush and awaits its prey. It is very similar to the pose of a person praying. The scientist named the insect Mantis religiosa, which can be translated as "religious priest". The name came to the Russian language modified - "praying mantis". True, it is not called that everywhere: for example, in Spain it is called Caballito del Diablo, which translates as "the devil's horse". This somewhat eerie name is probably associated with the habits of the praying mantises.

Description of praying mantises

The insect has an elongated body, which distinguishes it from many arthropods. This is perhaps the only living creature that can easily turn its triangular head 360 °. This allows the praying mantis to see its enemy approaching from behind. The insect has only one ear, but despite this, the praying mantis does not complain about hearing.

His eyes have a complex faceted structure and are located on the sides of the head, but besides them, the praying mantis has three more simple eyes located above the base of the whiskers. Antennae can be pinnate, filiform or comb, depending on belonging to a particular species. Almost all species of praying mantis have well-developed wings, but males fly more often, females have a much greater weight, which makes flight difficult.

Praying mantis wings are presented in two pairs: front and back. The former are the elytra, which practically protect the hindwings, which are quite bright in color, and often with original patterns. But the earthen mantis (Geomantis larvoides) has no wings at all.

The blood circulation in praying mantises is rather primitive, due to the unusual breathing system. Oxygen enters the praying mantis through a complex system of tracheas that connect to spiracles (stigmas) located on the abdomen in the back and middle of the body. The trachea contains air sacs that enhance ventilation of the respiratory system.

Color

Like many insects, praying mantises in nature have the ability to camouflage to protect against enemies. They change body color depending on their habitat: yellow, brown, green. Brown insects are inseparable from the bark of trees, and green ones live on green leaves.

What does a praying mantis eat?

It should be noted that the praying mantis is a predator that feeds on smaller insects, is not afraid to attack prey larger than itself. Flies and mosquitoes, wasps and bees, butterflies and bumblebees, beetles are all that the praying mantis feeds on. Larger species are capable of attacking even small birds, rodents and small amphibians: lizards, frogs.

Praying mantises attack their prey from an ambush, quickly grab it with their front paws and do not let go until they are completely eaten.

Mantis lifestyle

Having figured out what the praying mantis eats, it is necessary to get acquainted with how the life of this insect is organized. The praying mantis leads a sedentary lifestyle, settling for a long time in the same territory. If there is enough food around, the insect can spend its entire life on one plant or tree branch.

Despite the fact that praying mantises fly well and have two pairs of wings, they use them quite rarely, preferring to use their long limbs for movement. Males fly mainly in the dark, flying from branch to branch. In addition, they move from tier to tier, at the foot of tall trees and at the tops of crowns, depending on where the praying mantises live.

We talked about the fact that these insects cannot stand the cold. Therefore, the question arises of how the praying mantis winters. It experiences a cold period of time in the form of diapausing eggs, the laying of which begins in summer and ends in late autumn. There can be up to three hundred eggs in a clutch. They are kept in a capsule until spring and easily tolerate frosts up to 18 ° C.

Breeding praying mantises

With the beginning of the mating season (as a rule, it falls in autumn), males of the praying mantis, using the organs of smell, begin to search for females who are ready to mate. Having found his chosen one, the male performs a “mating dance” in front of her, which automatically turns him into a sexual partner. After that, mating begins, during which the female praying mantis bites off the male's head and then completely eats it.

Scientists believe there are biological reasons for this behavior. By eating her "groom", the female replenishes the supply of protein nutrients that are necessary for future offspring. In rare cases, the male manages to leave the bloodthirsty darling in time and avoids a sad fate.

After some time, the female lays eggs, enveloping their entire surface with a special sticky secret, which she secretes from the glands. For eggs, this is a kind of protective capsule, which is called ooteca. The fertility of each female largely depends on the species. As a rule, one clutch consists of 300-400 eggs. In the eggs treated in this way, the insect larvae stay from three weeks to six months, after which they independently crawl out of them. Then their development proceeds rapidly, and after four to eight molts, the larva turns into an adult praying mantis.

Praying mantises- carnivorous insects. Most species of praying mantis are found in tropical countries, although some species are found in the northern regions. The closest relatives are stick insects, grasshoppers and cockroaches. Like relatives, praying mantises undergo metamorphoses, they go through several stages of maturation.

Most praying mantises are of tropical origin, so they should be kept warm (20-25 "C) Young mantises feed on aphids, fruit flies, fruit flies and other small insects. Young mantises grow quickly if you provide them with plenty of food.

Most species of praying mantis are aggressive towards each other and, if kept together, they can eat each other, especially if one mantis is larger than the rest. Almost all mantises eat insects that are the size of the mantis or even larger.

Praying mantises usually do not drink, however, it is good if a small dish of water is placed in the room where they are kept. A dish of water also provides the necessary moisture. If there is no dish, then it is necessary to spray water every day.

Housing... As the mantis grows, it will shed its skin several times, becoming larger in each stage. For newborn insects, a small container is suitable, for example, a yogurt cup, a teenage mantis can be transplanted into a jam jar or a milk bottle. The top of the yoghurt cup should be covered with plastic. A small hole must be made in the foil for feeding. A tube can be inserted into the hole to provide fresh air. Regardless of the type of container used, branches must be placed in it so that the insect can crawl and hang on them (during molting). The height of the container (from floor to ceiling) should be three times the length of the insect.

Reproduction... It is difficult to distinguish between male and female juveniles, but it is easy in adult praying mantises: males have eight lobes on the inside of the abdomen, females - six. Before mating (separately from each other), for several days, the male and female are intensively fed. It is advisable to use a large container for breeding, otherwise the female may eat the male. Mating can happen immediately or it can take several days. Food must always be present in the cage so that the female can feed during mating. After the end of mating, the male sits down.

The female (depending on age and species) can lay from 30 to 300 eggs. The hatching of larvae from eggs is observed between 3-6 months. Young people can be born all at once or at different times. Young praying mantises can be kept together for some time, but then the container must be large, there must be many secret places in it, live food must constantly inhabit, all these conditions will prevent cannibalism. After the second or third moult, the praying mantises should be planted.

Small mantises need constant food for active growth. The praying mantis should eat as much as it wants to eat. Adults eat once or twice a week. Do not overfeed adults, as some species may be prone to overeating, which can lead to the death of the pet. We recommend feeding in a balanced and moderate way.

As you know, you can't catch insects in winter. But this problem can be solved. Maggots can be purchased from pet stores and fishing shops. If the maggots are kept at room temperature, then they will pupate, and after a week, fresh flies will appear. Also, due to the popularity of terrarium keeping, many breeders will willingly share with you cockroaches and various beetle larvae.

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Description

The color is patronizing, very variable, ranging from green or yellow to brown-gray or dark brown. The pronotum is of moderate length; the forelegs are grasping, in addition to getting food, they are also used for locomotion. The hind legs are running. The wings are well developed in both the male and the female (although females fly very poorly and reluctantly due to their impressive size). The abdomen is ovoid, rather long.

How to keep a praying mantis as a pet?

The praying mantis can be a fun and cuddly pet. This pet is intuitive and smarter than most members of the insect family. A praying mantis can often live up to a year, and sometimes more, if properly cared for. In fact, some naturalists even claim that the praying mantis can recognize a person.

1. Make a dwelling for the praying mantis

The container for keeping the praying mantis should not be too large so that it can find its prey and, at the same time, it should not be too small so that it is not too crowded. The length of the container should be 3-4 times longer than the mantis itself, and the height should be at least 2 times its length. The reason for this is that the praying mantis must have enough room to pursue its prey, but not excessively, or else it will not be able to find it.

2. Create the right environment

A favorable environment is necessary for the life of a praying mantis. Punch holes at the top of the lid or container to allow the mantis to breathe. There should be several plants in the cage that are the same color as the insect for your pet to camouflage, but the cage should not be overcrowded. The bottom of the container should be filled with a layer of soil approximately 1.2 cm thick, preferably sand. Make sure the container is not too damp. If the sides are fogged up, add a few more holes at the top or sides. Spray water about once a day inside the cage so that the mantis has water to drink. The praying mantis climbs up the side of the container and licks off the water. If you place an open container of water in his home, the praying mantis may fall into it and drown.

3. Feed the praying mantis

The nutritional requirements of a praying mantis will vary depending on their stage of growth, although if, in general, they do not need a lot of food.

For larva purchased from a pet store: Feed on fruit flies, small crickets, mosquitoes, aphids, and other small insects.

For a grown mantis that is molting (age stage): Start increasing the size of the insects, and then during each shedding period, feed normally, but remove anything it ignores because the mantis may not eat during the molt.
A fully grown praying mantis will have to work hard: catch butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers, or even house flies. In the wild, praying mantises will consume whatever they can catch and hold. They've even been known to eat bees and wasps in the wild, but you probably won't want to mess with them.
It is not necessary to buy crickets from the pet store, although some people will tell you that using wild crickets can make your pet sick. There may be no harm ... for store-grown praying mantises, but for wild caught, there will be harm. Be careful with pet-store crickets. In many pet stores, crickets are not fed or cared for properly, and any illness in these crickets can end up being passed on to your mantis. If you're unsure, feed your store-bought or caught crickets some good dietary food for a few days to help them fight the bacteria in their gut and they'll be fine.
Do not feed your praying mantis live food that is larger than it, or that can eat your mantis itself.

How to feed a praying mantis in winter?

In winter, as you know, you can't catch insects on the street, but this problem is solvable.
maggots can be purchased at the pet store - they are sold in plastic containers in which dry sawdust is poured; at home, such a container can be stored in the refrigerator. If you keep this container at room temperature, the maggots will pupate quickly, and you will have fresh flies in a week. The second option is zofobuses: in a box with cereals, they not only live well, but also continue to reproduce. Various types of cockroaches are well suited for winter nutrition. As a last resort, you can feed the praying mantis with small portions of meat. But you should not give meat in large quantities - the insect can get sick and die.

Under natural conditions, the praying mantis grabs any insect that passes by. Youngsters need more food for full development; adults can do without food for five days.

But don't throw large amounts of food insects - this can stress the praying mantis. In addition, some insects have quite developed jaws, with which they can bite the praying mantis during molting.

Any insect that suits it in size serves as food for a pet. Young animals should be fed with small insects such as aphids, fruit flies, fruit flies. Adults are very voracious, they eat almost any insect in large numbers and can eat even a small lizard or mouse.

Adults are fed once a week: you need to make sure that the praying mantis does not overeat, otherwise rupture of the abdomen cannot be avoided. Water is required in the terrarium. You can use an insect drinker to prevent the animals from accidentally drowning, or a plastic lid for the jar.

If you thought the mantis was a harmless and very calm insect with a passive demeanor, then get ready to learn something new about them. The researchers found that these aggressive carnivorous insects kill and eat not only small reptiles such as frogs and lizards, but also small birds. Research by an international group of zoologists has documented this behavior of praying mantises around the world.

It is noteworthy that, in general, this behavior of praying mantises was not special. A YouTube search easily yields a selection of videos showing a praying mantis devouring a hummingbird. A new study by a group of zoologists has systematically documented 147 examples of mantis attacks, representing 12 different species, on small birds. Scientists tracked behavior in 13 countries, finding that praying mantises prey on 24 species of birds.

Interestingly, over 70 percent of documented cases have been reported in the United States, with the majority of the casualties being hummingbirds. Praying mantises have been used in gardens as biological pest control agents for decades, and to this day, many Americans still use both imported and indigenous species for pest control. But new research shows that insects pose a threat to small passerines as well. In addition, this indiscriminate nature of praying mantises makes them not the best means of fighting insects.

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More and more unusual pets can be seen in people's homes. Instead of dogs and cats, people enjoy caring for snakes and insects. Praying mantis content which cannot be called difficult, he also managed to become a pet.

The praying mantis is a large carnivorous insect that has an unusual appearance and interesting behavior... While not all people might call him handsome, he has quite a few fans willing to take care of him. If you want to diversify your life with an original pet that will not take up much space, then the praying mantis is a good choice.

Many people are fascinated by the habits of this predatory insect. It is not for nothing that he is celebrated for his unique body shape, his manner of suddenly freezing, tracking down prey and folding his front legs in a gesture that is very reminiscent of a prayer one. The male grows up to 5 cm in length. Females are much larger than males and can reach a size of 7 cm. The color of this insect is different. (from bright green to sandy, less often there are individuals of a dark brown shade).

Usually, praying mantises are aggressive towards their speciestherefore it is not recommended to keep several insects in one place. The abode of the praying mantis is a fairly spacious container. Moreover, its height should be 3 times the length of the praying mantis so that it does not feel uncomfortable while moving. A liter can is enough for a small insect, but an adult should have room for a walk, so it is better to purchase an aquarium that should be covered with a net. If you manage to equip a real terrarium, then your pet and you yourself will definitely appreciate it. The more free space, the more interesting it is to watch the insect.

When keeping praying mantises at home, you will have to monitor humidity levelsto which insects are very sensitive. It is enough to spray the soil with settled tap water at room temperature several times a week. You can also use a drinker. But it should be small so that the insect can easily crawl out of it if it gets into the water. Too high a level of humidity should not be allowed, as the soil can become moldy.

Lighting is very important for praying mantises, since they are daytime insects and their activity occurs during the daytime. At home, ordinary fluorescent lamps can become their "sun". But under direct sunlight, praying mantises should not live in any case.

Bogomolov can be picked up without harm to health... These pets are quite slow and completely harmless to humans. But still, you should not make sudden movements, make noise or in any other way scare the insect. It can suddenly run away, fall and be injured. If you behave carefully, then the praying mantis will surely please you with good behavior.

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A little about insect

An adult praying mantis can be quite large - its length can be ten or more centimeters.

The color of this insect can be yellow, green, light brown, or other, depending on the environment. Having the ability to mimic by nature, the praying mantis can merge with branches, plants and stones that have a similar color, and therefore it will be very difficult to notice it.

He has a triangular, very mobile head, which he can rotate 180 degrees. The forelegs are well developed with sharp spines, with which it captures its prey and holds it while eating. The praying mantis also has wings, but it flies very badly, so most often it sits motionless in one place, waiting for prey.

The lifespan of a domestic praying mantis is about two months, but some species, according to some sources, can live for about a year.

Temperature regime

Since insects are tropical inhabitants, accordingly, it is necessary to keep the praying mantis at home in a temperature regime of 20 to 25 ° C, while also observing the necessary humidity regime. Keeping the mantis cage moist is easy, just spray water over the cage once a day, it should be enough.

How does a domestic praying mantis eat?

How to feed a praying mantis at home? Such pets prefer aphids, flies, and other insects of a suitable size. Young individuals grow very quickly, provided that the owner feeds them well.

Many representatives of praying mantises can show aggression towards their relatives, so cannibalism is quite possible, especially if there is a significant difference in size among individuals. Indoor mantises can also consume insects of the same size, or perhaps even larger than themselves.
Most praying mantises do not drink water, however, a container of water should be placed where they are kept. It will also serve as a source of moisture to maintain the desired microclimate. In the absence of a container, it will be necessary to spray water to ensure moisture.

Living conditions

In the stages of its development, the mantis tends to shed its skin, thus increasing in size. For individuals who have just been born, a small container will be an excellent housing, but for teenagers, you can use a jar or something similar in size. The temporary dwelling of young praying mantises should be covered with a film, having previously made a hole in it for feeding. A prerequisite is the presence of branches in the container, which should be exactly three times larger than the young growth.

Breeding features

Young praying mantis, when kept at home, has almost no sex difference, however, adults can be easily recognized, due to the fact that males have eight lobes on the abdomen, but females have only six of them. Before insects begin to mate, they must be fed with a large amount of food, while separating from each other. In order for the male not to become food for the female, a large container is needed, where the breeding process will take place. The whole action may take several minutes or days, but the presence of food is required. After mating is over, the male is removed from the female.

The female can produce 30 to 300 eggs. The larvae will hatch in the interval from 3 to 6 months, while they hatch, they may not all at once.

The main nuance for keeping praying mantises at home is the presence of a large container for their habitat, in which live food must be present, as well as the ability to hide for its inhabitants. Observing these requirements, cannibalism will be excluded, but after the insects shed several times they must be planted.

If you want to get yourself an unusual insect, then the house mantis is perfect. This insect is undemanding in keeping and does not take up much space. Such a pet can be caught in the wild or purchased at a pet store.

And if you have not yet chosen a pet to match yourself, pay attention to the terrible tarantula - the hero of Hollywood horror films or his eternal opponent - the scorpion.

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Lodging for praying mantis

The most comfortable and affordable housing for a praying mantis is the terrarium. It is necessary to take into account the size according to whether the individual is large or small. The fact is that the praying mantis still needs space to feel comfortable. But do not forget that these animals themselves catch the food that you present to them, respectively, in a large cage it will become more difficult to catch prey.

Photo. Hygrometer TA218A as thermometer and moisture meter for praying mantis.

To create a "home environment" for the praying mantis, it is worth purchasing various driftwood and branches, on which the insect will be able to spend its time and look out for prey.

Air temperature

As mentioned above, these parameters are very important, because the insect is exotic. They are used to certain temperatures. For example, for desert dwellers, it ranges from 28 to 40 degrees above zero. For tropical individuals - from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. You can create such conditions with the help of incandescent lamps, thermal mats and other gadgets, of which there are quite a few now. Install a thermometer to track the reading. There may be a slight drop in temperature at night. In no case do not place the terrarium in direct sunlight; artificial light is needed. To watch insects at night, you can buy a moonlight lamp.

Air humidity

Moisture is the second most important mantis. To maintain it, you can spray the soil periodically. You can put a drinker, for example, a small lid with water, so that the animal cannot drown there. Perhaps you don't need to make much effort. Just look at the hygrometer values \u200b\u200band find out how many times a week you need to humidify your home in order to prevent excessive proportions. This is important because otherwise you will create an environment for bacteria and mold.

Feeding the praying mantis

Small individuals are advised to feed as often as possible, they must constantly have food in the terrarium. Large praying mantises need 1-2 times a week. Overeating can rupture your abdomen, so don't overdo it. The size of the insect's food should not exceed half of its body, otherwise the animal will be afraid and try to protect itself from its own food. The most common and readily available food for the praying mantis is flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, crickets, small bugs, or even lizards for large individuals. Do not pick animals from the street or forest because they can carry some kind of disease. Praying mantises are cannibals, so it is not recommended to leave them alone with another praying mantis, let alone exist. When breeding, you need to carefully monitor them.

Conclusion

As you can understand, the praying mantis will not take much of your time and effort, there are not so many prerequisites that you need to adhere to. Even for humidity and temperature, it is worth purchasing a hygrometer and incandescent lamps once, and understanding how many times a week to spray the soil. The praying mantis is a very fragile insect, so if you handle it, try to be more careful with it. It is a known fact that they love to have their belly scratched, try it. If the animal bites you on your finger, do not make sudden movements, most likely the mantis took you for a victim, do not be alarmed, their bite is not poisonous. If you take an animal out of its cage, remember that it has wings and can fly away if there is an open window nearby. Watch this. Perhaps this is all the most important thing you need to know in order to get and keep a praying mantis. Follow all the rules, and your new friend will delight with his presence for as long as possible.

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What is undesirable to feed praying mantises:

Cricket (Gryllidae).The cricket itself is a harmless insect. If you caught him on the street, then you can safely feed him. But the crops sold in pet stores live on artificial feed, due to which harmful bacteria develop in the body of crickets. The immunity of praying mantises very often does not cope with such an infection, and cases of cricket poisoning have been recorded not only in them. Many people (usually holders of Sphodromantis mantises) will try to confuse you and say that all this is nonsense. And you, of course, believe them, which you will regret. Why Sfodromantis? Yes, because these are some of the most powerful mantises in the culture, which practically no infection takes (but a cricket can cope with them). By the way, people who breed crickets themselves claim that praying mantises live well on it, but, as you understand, no good keeper is going to test their theories on their animals.

Cricket dust. This is a separate topic. Newborn crickets have not yet collected any rubbish in the body, therefore, they are perfectly fed to the mantis of the first molts. But I will leave this type of food here because it seems to me that it is completely useless. Dust is more expensive than Drosophila, does not multiply (ends in 3-4 days), requires separate feeding, is not juicy and nutrient-rich KO. That is, it is inferior to Drosophila in all respects.

Lioness (Hermetia illucens). In addition to the cricket, there are a number of food animals that are not recommended for the praying mantis. This is, first of all, the Black Lioness. The larvae of the lioness serve as nutritious food for reptiles, so recently it has been increasingly seen in specialized stores. But do not be fooled: the flies themselves accumulate substances in the body that lead to the failure of the nervous system and the death of the praying mantis, which was recently proved by Sergei Pugaev, unfortunately, from his own experience. Feeding a Lioness is even worse than feeding a cricket and maggot at the same time.

Turkmen cockroach (Shelfordella tartara). The second unwanted food item is the Turkmen cockroach. Its effect on the digestive system of a praying mantis is similar to that of a cricket, although cases of administration are much less common. Moreover, the cockroach lacks nutrients, so even strong praying mantises that feed on uninfected cockroaches can shed badly, and pregnant females often cannot postpone oedema. Feeding by Turkmen is permissible, but with the obligatory use of other feeds.

Red cockroach (Blattella germanica)... Is it possible to catch an ordinary cockroach at home and feed it to a praying mantis? Not! The Prussians eat all kinds of nasty things and collect toxins from cockroach poison. Such food is not suitable for a praying mantis. However, there are people who raised the culture of the Red cockroach and feed them well, the adjustable cockroach will not pose a danger to the praying mantis. Only do you need it? If there is an escape from such a colony, it is not only the praying mantis that will have to catch cockroaches ...

Maggot and his friends. I would like to start the last item on the list with the words: "About boiled." The fact is that in our time there are a lot of clever people who, under various pretexts, feed the praying mantises all sorts of rubbish. Let me, once again, especially for them, will list some foods that are strictly prohibited for use: maggots, bloodworms, worms, snails ... Do you understand the logic? Anything that the praying mantis does not normally eat in nature, it should not be in your home. It is poison. Muchnik and zofobas, by the way, are also included in the list, like any larvae. They are too fat, this at least disrupts the process of ooteca formation in females and shortens their life. Yes, and more. Giving the praying mantis meat (raw, boiled, fried, rotten, your finger - too) DO NOT. It just won't digest and clog the digestive system.

Fuh! I hope you are not confused, I tried in more detail. The ideal option is to combine 3-4 types of food and see who the praying mantis takes more willingly. But for most of the simple species, only Marble cockroaches are enough. Okay, let's assume that now you understand the matter of feeding the praying mantis, and we can move on.

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Conditions of detention

The main condition for keeping these very original-looking insects is the temperature, which should be at least 25 ° C. Thermal pads should be used at low temperatures.

Lighting is also important for praying mantises, since they are characterized by a daytime lifestyle. This is where special lamps come in handy.

How and what to feed a praying mantis

The food for the praying mantis should consist of meat. Sometimes these insects can eat even a small lizard. When composing a diet for a praying mantis, it must be borne in mind that the insects that serve as food for it should not be large, otherwise the mantis may get scared. It is enough to feed an adult once a week, not more often, as they tend to overeat, which negatively affects the health of the praying mantis.

The praying mantis can be safely handled, since this insect does not pose any danger to humans. But before you do this, you should make sure that he is peaceful and calm. You do not need to make sudden movements, make noise, otherwise the praying mantis may get scared and fall. These are extremely interesting insects that are interesting to watch.

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In this section, we have collected and continue to collect the most frequently asked questions about praying mantises and their content. We highly recommend it to all beginners and just curious people.

Where do you get information about praying mantises / species / content?
- All information on our resource is collected from our own experience. Therefore, the information obtained here may differ from your experience.

I want to have a praying mantis. What do I need to get started?
- After you decide to get a praying mantis, you should study the information on them and find species that are fairly easy to maintain - they are best suited for a start. More complex species should be started after some experience. You should immediately find a spacious and well-ventilated terrarium. To breed praying mantises, you need several terrariums and containers as many species cannot be kept in groups. Study the conditions of detention carefully. It is also worth taking care of the availability of feed in advance. Some types you can find in our resource.

Where can I find information on species management / terrarium?
- Information on the content of species can be found on our resource, or on the Internet. For information on terrariums - in.

What is the best food for praying mantises?
- Almost any insect will do for praying mantises. Optimal food is cockroaches or flies. Crickets are not always optimal food, especially for some species. Species that feed on flying insects in nature - willingly eat them in captivity. Flies bred from maggots are excellent. Some species want ants.

How often to feed the praying mantis?
- It depends on the species and age. Young nymphs need to be fed more often. In general, the abdomen of the mantis should always be full. However, the enclosure should be kept free of food insects to avoid stress. An adult praying mantis should be fed every 2-3 days.

If I release several feeding insects into the mantis terrarium at once, will they not interfere with the mantis?
- For some reason, you shouldn't do that. Firstly, this is unnecessary stress, and secondly, some species of food insects (crickets, cockroaches) have quite developed jaws and they can damage the praying mantis during molting. In addition, there are cases when crickets carelessly released into the terrarium to the praying mantis ate ootheca.

How long can a praying mantis live without food?
- It depends on the species, age and conditions of detention. The older the praying mantis, the longer it can live without food. In addition, large species can tolerate a longer period without food. For example, the adults of Sphodromantis survive quite well for up to 2 weeks without any problems after a good feeding. If you have to leave the praying mantis unattended for a long time, prepare it. The week before, start feeding the mantis by feeding it every day and very densely. Also, keep some food insects in his cage.

How long do praying mantises live?
- Depending on the type and conditions of detention. From 2 months to 1.5 years. Females live longer than males. The duration also depends on the temperature and availability of food.

What is the largest / smallest praying mantis?
- The largest known praying mantis today is Ischnomantis Gigas (16cm-18cm), the smallest is Bolbena hottentotta (1.5cm).
In addition, the largest praying mantises are - Toxodera beieri 15 cm, Solygia sulcatifrons * 14 cm, Toxodera maxima 13-14 cm, Schizocephala bicornis 13 cm, Paratoxodera cornicollis 12-13 cm, Macromantis sp. 11-13 cm, Plistospilota guineensis * and Idolomantis diabolica * 10-12 cm, Heterochaeta strachani * 12 cm, Rhombodera fratricida 11-12 cm, Rhombodera basilis *, Hierodula grandis * / membranacea, Zoolea sp. * - 10 cm.
The asterisk marks the captive bred species.

Can praying mantises be kept together and what species?
- All praying mantises are predators, so if there is a lack of food, they will try to eat each other. Some species can coexist more or less together. Basically, this is the family of Empusae (Empusiadae), such as Gongylus gongylodes or Empusa Fasciata, as well as Phillocrania Paradoxa. Many species cannot be kept together due to their aggressiveness, but, nevertheless, nymphs of most species can be kept together up to L4 if there is enough food.

Where can I buy a praying mantis?
- If you are interested in something, you can order a praying mantis on our resource in the sales section. Contact us to specify the range of species.

Is it possible to keep a praying mantis right in the room, without a terrarium?
- Yes, some species may well live without a terrarium, not really moving around. For example, females Sphodromantis, Hierodula, Mantis. They can be placed, for example, on indoor plants. In this case, they should be given food regularly.

Do females lay ootheca without mating?
- Yes. After the final molt, the females begin to produce eggs. So, if mating does not take place, the female should still postpone the ooteca, because the eggs inside her abdomen begin to develop together with the final molt. Nothing will come out of this ooteca. Sometimes, when for some reason the female cannot postpone such an oedema, she dies.

Are there species that reproduce parthogenetically without the participation of a male?
- Yes, there are very few such species, but they exist. Brunneria Borealis and Brunneria subaptera, in particular, are among them. This species has only females and all reproduce parthenogenetically. In addition, there is information that Miomantis Paykulii, Cilnia humeralis and Iris oratoria are also possible. But this is not a common phenomenon - as a result, a small number of extremely weak juveniles emerge, most often such pilgrims die before L4. There is no information on other types of information.

Do females need to mate after each ooteca laying?
- Females can contain sperm for a long time after mating. One pairing is enough for several oodes. But, all the same, if there is a possibility - repeat the pairing. This is especially true for small species.

What can be used as decoration in a terrarium?
- As a decor, you can use live and artificial plants, twigs, sand, depending on the species and natural habitat.

Can praying mantises bite a person?
- Yes, in case of danger, praying mantises can try to bite or attack a person. Large praying mantises can scratch, no more

Are there poisonous praying mantises?
- Not.

My praying mantis's eyes changed color. Why?
- It can be either disease / age or night / dark adaptation. Many species change eye color in the late afternoon.

Do mantises need drink?
- They do not need drink, as such. They can get drink with food. They receive moisture during regular spraying with water. They can also lick off water droplets after spraying.

How can I find out the gender of the praying mantis?
- Very simple. All information is in the appropriate section. (temporarily under revision)

How to mate praying mantises correctly?
- All the necessary information is in the appropriate section. (temporarily under revision)

What does "Sp" mean (eg Rhombodera Sp.) In a Latin species name?
- The abbreviation "Sp" is used when the exact name is not known. Also, the abbreveatua "Cp" is often used, which means "possibly". For example, Rhombodera cf. basalis - this is used when it is impossible to say exactly what kind and means - Rhombodera, possibly basalis.

Why are some species missing on the resource?
- On our resource, only our content experience is described. There is no information on the species that we did not keep here.

If you have any other questions, please leave a comment.