Pet Orchid Mantis Care Sheet Hymenopus coronatus Kung Fu Mantid

Описание: The most desired pet insect in the history of the pet insect hobby is probably the Orchid Mantis, Hymenopus coronatus. Lately these mantises are sometimes called Kung Fu Mantises and partly because David Attenborough mentioned it in the popular video by BBC Earth called Kung Fu Mantis Vs Jumping spider, also here on YouTube.

In the opening for this video I mention Rus from the awesome YouTube Channel ‪@Aquarimax‬
Please click his channel name to watch the video he is putting up today too where he interviewed me about Orchid Mantises. We covered a lot of information in that video that isn't mentioned in this one, and both videos should be taken together for maximum value.

Common names aside, their is no argument about their striking similarities to orchids and this has been noted since the 1800's. And yet they are now known to be mimics of flowers in general as detailed in the study at the following link, and are perhaps the only animal on the planet that is known to mimic the concept of a flower itself rather than a particular flower species that it preferentially rests upon in wait of prey. Pollinators hard at work and quickly moving from flower to flower approach these apparent flowers, and before they can react it's much too late.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/...

In this video we explore the life cycle of the pet orchid mantis from the ootheca (egg case) and its hatching, and then on to first instar, second instar and up to mature adult orchid mantises. To reach the next instar they need to be warm and feed enough to grow to the point they are nearly bursting at the seams, and at that point they will molt. Molting is when they shed their skin or exoskeleton, the part of their body that gives it rigidity and structure. And when they come out, they have grown noticeably in size.

Breeding orchid mantises is also discussed and orchid mantis breeding pairs are shown. Sometimes the introduction of a male orchid mantis to a female results in cannibalism. When all goes well, it results in a fertile orchid mantis ootheca. 4 to 6 weeks later this will hatch and a new generation of red and black baby orchid mantises will appear. As they grow, most of them will be white in coloration but not uncommonly some specimens will become pink orchid mantises. A pink orchid mantis is of course highly desired but there is no knowing if a particular orchid mantid will become pink. On the occasion that a specimen is pink or even leaning towards purple, they are notably darkest and most colorful just before a molt or just after.

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