Raising Mantis larva

[DreamScape]

So far, Keeping them in a converted brine shrimp hatchery seems to be working.

I've managed to keep a 1/2 dozen of them alive for a week now, and there are indications of feeding (the larvae are pale pink/orange instead of whitish/translucent).

I'll keep you posted

 

[Gonodactylus]

A couple of questions. First, what species are you rearing.

Second, did you collect the larvae from the egg mass as soon as they hatched, or did you get them free-swimming once they left the mother's cavity/burrow?

The orange color usually meams that the larvae still have yolk and are not yet free-swimming, but this is variable from speceis to species.

Roy

 

[DreamScape]

A green smasher - from pictures and descriptions, G. Ternatensis.
I was told by my lfs that they get mantis from their supplier in
queensland.

I collected the larva as free-swimming ~5mm+ in size and a
translucent white colour - this is when they have an addiction
to the lights .

I think that the orange colour (it's very pale) comes from the newly hatched brine that they have been feeding on.

I still have to see if they'll survive first moult in free swimming
form.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Yes, brine shrimp larvae will cause the gut to appear orangish. They should molt about once a week and after about a month will settle. Molt skins are really hard to see. I've found that gonodactylid larvae need the right subtrate to settle. After three to four weeks when they are about 7-8 mm, try adding some course gravel in a sincle layer. When I was rearing G. chiragra, they would not settle on bare plastic, but did immediately when I added the gravel. Good luck.

Roy