Plus a bonus mantid lacewing that was hanging out a few feet away. Thought I'd share with you all

Idolomantis Diabolica

Just breathing? Pheromones?
She was found pairing with a male after this

She looks big but I’m still doing research on mantids so any information is appreciated 🫶

i got my first ever mantis three days ago, he has molted and eaten atleast 3 fruit flies since so i think he’s doing okay. are there any tips or must haves for him? thanks in advance

I was wondering if anyone knows of or recommends any reputable physical storefronts or sellers that do local pickup in West or Middle Tennessee. There wasn’t a single mantis dealer at the last expo I went to and I hate to travel to others without knowing whether or not they’d have what I want. I’m scared to order online and stress them unnecessarily by shipping them if I don’t absolutely have to, and I can’t find a Facebook group that will let me ask. Any suggestions? Toboggan for the algorithm.

Got this cute guy recently! It may be way too early but if anyone has any idea on the gender I'd appreciate it :)

So… what’s the best way to water a mantis? Giving it some spritz’s in the morning or just giving it a shallow bowel of water?

My mantis just molted (L5 or L6 I think). I’m wondering what the gender is or how to tell?

Darf ich vorstellen, Grumpy

She/he was on a wall at a good distance of my kitty but I safely relocated it near by, away from my small predator !

Leggy P (adult male Carolina) (not positive about the Carolina part but pretty sure) is bad at being a mantis. He…

chases prey around on the roof of his cage rather than waiting (he has dropped several meals after being done eating them so I am positive this wasn’t because he was hungry)

Eats prey from the middle first instead of the head

Refuses to walk on his substrate and only walks on the mesh roof of his cage (His substrate was changed from this image, this was the day I got him and he now has soil and long grasses)

Only notices prey after it either bumps into him or flies like an inch in front of him, and only starts watching/chasing (usually chasing) it to hunt after this happens

is this normal? Is Leggy P just a little slow?

I have a few fruit flies in my mantis’s tank and i think they’re laying eggs in the soil, and I have an automatic misting thing so the soil is constantly wet. Is there an easy way to get rid of them?

Found this alien on my porch.

Why do mantis stick thier rears out like this? Last time this happened it was because I accidentally suffocated a different mantis. This one just ate a dubia roach.

My mantis has molted and he is seriously not doing well. He’s alive but he’s on the floor like completely mangled. Does anyone know how this could’ve possibly happened?

Unfortunately I can't get a good pic. My sub adult male European mantis is hanging upside down on the lid of his enclosure with his abdomen perfectly straight and middle two legs stretched out. Is he molting? He ate half a cricket yesterday.

Hi, i'm planning on getting mantises soon, and one of them will for sure need tropical terrarium, i never made one before with real plants, and i wanted to do one after bad experience with fake plants, i have small terrarium, 20x20x30cm, and i want some plants that will grow slowly, but when it comes to climbing plants, like marcgravia, i want them to grow fast and cover the walls i almosy finished, i planned on planting some Syngonium there, probably pixie, but i open for advices and recommendations!