It sucks to be a male.

[Lancecham]

If the male only knew beforehand that his head would be eaten off while having sex, I think he would have chosen to not engage in such behaviors.

I collected the ooths while on a hiking trail in central California. Now I can'i wait for the female to deliver an ooth for me.
Sorry for the poor quality pic, it was taken with my phone.
Lance

 

[Thompson]

Are those Chinese mantis? Lol good luck with the ooths!

 

[laurie]

Lance how can I know which are males, which are females, and when to put them together? I have 6 growing in cages in my back yard but know nothing about them.

And with my deremensis hatching a month early and I leave for Daytona this Thursday night, I don't have time to research my mantis.

I would hate for one of my males to get his head bitten off to soon.

Thanks

 

[Vegas Chad]

Typical, trying to have a good time and the woman bites your head off.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Lance how can I know which are males, which are females, and when to put them together? I have 6 growing in cages in my back yard but know nothing about them.

Count the segments on the abdomen. Males have more than females, and the last segment is narrow on a male and wide on a female. And as they get adult size, the females will be way bigger and fatter than males.

Heavily feed the female and she may spare the male. I've had a male survive a couple matings (two different females) before loosing his head to the third

 

[Lancecham]

Sandra said it perfectly. I will wait one to two weeks after they are adult size before introducing them together.
I am not sure what type of mantis they are. I know they are not the Chinese mantis. I was told they were the Mediterranean Mantis, but I am not sure.

 

[melric]

Sandra said it perfectly. I will wait one to two weeks after they are adult size before introducing them together.
I am not sure what type of mantis they are. I know they are not the Chinese mantis. I was told they were the Mediterranean Mantis, but I am not sure.

Yup, I had a female that the black crickets ended up killing. I think it's a Mediterranean too. Sucks the male got beheaded.

 

[jrh3]

they are Mediterranean. Male looks chinese though but female is a give away. I always feed the female and while she is eating put the male behind her, they she will likely let him live. Also on a chinese male his abdomen will be the size of a regular pencil, female will be the size of a crayola marker or larger.. Kids just started school so thats why i though of school supplies as a reference, lol.