The Spiny Flower Mantis is a similar species to Indian Flower Mantids. Psuedocreobotra wahlbergii refers to the Spiny flower mantis. Perhaps their unique coloration and body decoration is what makes them so popular. They are African-bred and popular as house pets.
Spiny Flower Mantis Interesting Facts
What does the Spiny Flower Mantis appear like?
- This Mantis is similar to Creoboter meleagris, and it is quite attractive. The Nymphs are dark-black in color, and they look very Alien-like when young. As they age, the blackness gradually fades to a white color with green and pink speckles.
- The adult wings have a huge spiral eyespot in their center. This is to warn them of predators and Mantids. Their un-opened wings turn yellow when threatened. They are very small species that can grow to about 40mm in length. 40mm in height
- The Spiny flowers mantis, although it is an insect, is a stunning creature. The length of the organism is around 38-42mm.
- The body of the mantis is composed of long, white, green and rose stripes. These stripes take up the entire space between the mantis head and the back. The legs of this organism are extremely cool.
- They are white and green, with pink joints that hold them together. The mantis’ front legs have hooks and barbs that are used for preying on prey. Its fleshy lobes, located on the abdomen of mantises, add some decoration.
- Females usually have fleshier lobes than males. A nymph has a similar coloration, with an upturned abdomen.
- Its wings also are much smaller than those of an adult. A newborn nymph is a black and brown nymph with white banded feet. White spots can also be seen.
- Young nymphs’ eyes and head are dark; they will turn a different color as the mantis ages. The head is also colorful and consists of green-colored and pink-colored hair. The eyes of spiny flower mantis’ spiny flower mantis look very unusual, they are pink. This is a color you won’t see every single day.
- The forewings are simply stunning. They are narrow and long, and colored in cream and green. At the center, a large yellow/green eye spot rests. Other wings are very clear, with only a slight amount of veination.
- The hind wings, which turn pale orange near the body, are also similar. Finally, the antennae have a lovely shade of green and cream. This is truly a magnificent creation by God. We need to be more mindful of our daily lives and give thanks to God for His wonderful creation.
Where Do Spiny Flower Mantids Live?
They are native to Africa, East and South. They should be kept at room temperatures between 25-32C (77.9F) and 77.9F (77.9F) during winter.
This Mantis should be sprayed with a fine mister every evening. Spray at most every 2-3 days if you are unable to spray the Mantis. This will maintain a steady humidity of approximately. 60%. They are nocturnal and hide between flowers, waiting for the insects to pass them.
Is the Spiny Flower Praying Mantis easy to Raise?
They are very easy to maintain! Young Nymphs are resilient and can be quite hardy. The mantis could become more vulnerable as they get older so it is important to provide plenty of ventilation. You can find out more!
The ideal setup should have lots of flowers and greenery. You should provide them with the best food, as they will live around flowers. They can be fed on hoverflies, butterflies, hoverflies, wasps, and any other insects that may hide between the petals. In the winter months, they can be fed on wax worms, locusts or crickets.
If you have enough food and space for large Nymphs, it is best to keep them together. These were kept together for quite some while, but never with adults.
What Do Spiny Flower Mantis eat?
The spiny flowers mantis can blend in well with the natural environment. Their brightly colored bodies make it easy for them to blend in with flowers. As spiny flower mantises are often kept as pets rather than wild, it is not uncommon for them to be kept in close proximity to other animals.
Even though they are still found in the wild, some of them are endangered. They are extremely rare and hard to find. These lovely organisms eat mostly houseflies, moths, mealworms and crickets. This helps to reduce their numbers.
This organism could be easily prey for other predators if placed outside its natural environment. It stands out well because of its brightly colored spiny flower mantis. It is often out in nature, protecting itself from predators or searching for food. Wild animals learn very early that to survive, you must be cautious and alert at all times.
This delicate, but powerful creature does little to protect itself and the environment. God is the creator and designer of all His creation. I have to say, His is the greatest artist throughout all history and into the future.
Most mantises are open to roaches. Spiny flower mantis can eat appropriate-sized roaches but they are not their preferred food. You should provide cockroaches only with forceps, as the spiny-flower mantis prefers to wait until they ambush prey.
Flies are the best food for your spiny flower mantis. Flies can quickly escape from enclosed areas. Although it is possible to grow bluebottle fly species in your home, it can be a bit difficult. You can purchase pupae online. Pupae keep well in the refrigerator. They can be warmed up and placed directly in your mantis cage substrate, where they will hatch to adult flies. You can also grow black soldier flies outdoors in a compost bin. The pupae are easy-to-harvest and can hatch into flies which you can feed to your mantises.
Life Cycle of the Spiny Flower Mantis
A Spiny flower mantis’ life expectancy is six months. If they are lucky, it can live up to a full year. They experience three stages of their lives during their time on earth.
- The egg stage
- The nymph stage is and;
- The adult stage.
Each of these stages plays a major role in how long the mantis can survive.
The egg stage
Adult spiny flowers mantises and other mantises, as well, always lay eggs before winter starts. However, mother mantis will lay between 100 and 400 eggs during fall season. The eggs are protected from harsh winter weather by the mother mantis, who puts a frosty liquid over them. This liquid becomes hardened and acts as a protective coating for the eggs throughout winter.
The egg protective cases called ootheca. The ootheca has a place for each egg. When the time comes for the baby to hatch, they climb through the small one-way vessels within the compartments. These one-way vessels aid in the hatching process by making it smothered so that they can crawl out and begin their new lives. The spring brings out the baby spiny flower mantises. When they feel warmth, they know it is time to emerge. The warmth of spring speeds up the hatching process.
The Nymph stage
This stage of newly hatched lives appears in the spring and only in the spring. After hatching, the young ones hang out at the ootheca for a while and enjoy the great fresh air. When they hatch, these baby mantises will be very hungry so while they’re at the ootheca they might try to eat other babies. When they are old enough to leave their nest, they will go hunting for food. They will be looking for small insects and fruit flies. Mantises are easy targets for predators once they reach the Nymph stage.
The adult stage
This stage of maturing into adults takes place in the summer. In the spring and early summer, mantis will spend their time looking for food. They ensure that the food they find is safe for them to eat. As the mantis grows, its exoskeleton will be shed as many as ten times. It will stop growing at the end of the season.
When the mantis is about ready to molt it will become tired and sluggish. Mantis usually find a quiet spot to rest during molts, such as a leaf, or a branch. The mantis becomes more susceptible to predators with each molt. However, they grow stronger with each molt. It will eventually mate and conceive eggs during its adulthood. It dies and the cycle begins again.
How Long do Spiny Flower Mantis Spiny Flower Mantis Live? Lifespan
The average lifespan for the spiny flower mantis is 6 months. However, some may live up to one year if taken care of properly. Keep your mantises healthy by not over-feeding and keeping them at a comfortable temperature.
Mantises can experience the effects aging as they get older. Mantises can lose limbs, experience worsening eyesight and have a decrease in grip strength. If this happens, it is normal. However, if your mantis is suffering too much, you may consider euthanasia. By placing a container in the freezer, you can put a mantis to death if they are suffering from disease, serious injury, or other causes.
Behavior and Cannibalism
If the spiny flower mantises feel threatened, they can put on a stunning display. They display their incredible eyespots, raising both their wings. Their lower wings are bright yellow, probably to emphasize their eyes. The entire display mimics the appearance of larger predators and is intended to protect birds from predators.
While not making threat displays, the spiny flowers mantis is quiet and well camouflaged. They usually perch on specific species of flowers and feed on any insects that visit. They are not likely to pursue prey actively unless they are very hungry, and prefer to hunt ambush.
This species, like many praying mantises is cannibalistic. It will eat everything that moves and is large enough, even members of its own family. Young nymphs up to L4 can be kept together. However, the chances of them eating each other increase as they age.
Can you Keep it as your Pet?
If you are looking for a pet who is easy to care and also beautiful to be around, then you’ve come to the right spot! The spiny flower mantis is a great pet that will amaze your friends. You should first learn a few basics before you rush to buy one. You want your mantis live in a happy place.
A flower spiny or spiny mantis looks very different to others. However, it is beautiful. You may be wondering if you will get a male or a female. However, it is important to understand about both. Males are shorter than females at 4 cm. They are larger because they protect the eggs and take care of them the most.
Males are only 3.5 cm in length. This is not a significant difference, but it is still noticeable. You can count 6 stripes on the abdomen on the female while you can count 8 on the male.
A heated environment is the best climate for these adorable little creatures. The ideal temperature to keep your case at is 75- 85F. The case should be kept at between 75- 85F. Fungal infections can be very serious in the spiny flowers mantis.
It is important to provide a safe environment for the mantis. You should fill the cage with many twigs, leaves, and other things for the mantis. You can feed the mantis twisters. If he eats it, you’ll know that he’s hungry.
You can feed the mantis fruit fly, crickets and moths as well as houseflies and other flying insects. Mist the cage every day to keep it hydrated. Mantises will stop eating after molting, and this may take up to two days.
Molting takes between 3-4 weeks. Females can have as many as 7 molts over their lifetime, while males can have 6. This breed is not recommended for mate. A male and a woman should be kept together in a cage for at least 3-4 weeks. Overall, this is a wonderful pet. You’ll love having it in your home as a member of your family.
Health and Disease
This section covers common conditions and diseases you should be aware of.
Molting
Mantises can have molting issues. The spiny flower mantis prefers dryer conditions than other mantises, and can tolerate lower humidity than many mantises. A lack of sufficient vertical space for molting is the main cause of spiny flowers mantis molting problems. You should provide your mantis at least three times the vertical space of its length.
Overfeeding
The spiny flowers mantis will eat as much food and as many vegetables as they are offered. However, it can be sensitive to excessive feeding so make sure you don’t overfeed them. Overfeeding can shorten your mantis’ lifespan, and in some cases, it can even cause severe intestinal blockage or rupture. Your mantis should not be fed every day, unless it’s very young. Make sure your prey items fit your mantis. You should stop feeding your mantis for a few days if you notice it becoming bloated.
Bacterial & Viral Disease
Although viral and bacterial diseases can be very serious for your mantis, they are relatively easy to prevent. It is important to be careful about the type of insect feeders you provide to your mantises in order to prevent infection. Cockroaches as well as crickets are closely related. Therefore, feeding infected insects on your mantises could cause infection. While it is acceptable to feed roaches you have raised yourself, it is best to not feed your mantises crickets. A bacteria infection is most likely if your mantis develops dark brown discharge from its stomach or mouth. Most infections that are both viral and bacteria can be fatal.
Fungus & Mold
Fungal infections are the biggest threat to spiny flower mentis. Fungal growth is encouraged by damp and stuffy conditions. The spiny flowers mantis requires a dry area with good ventilation. Avoiding fungal infections is crucial. You can promote airflow by using a screen cover or netcage. Avoid moisture buildup by not misting too much. You should remove frass as it can mold quickly and cause health problems in your mantises. If you feel the symptoms of fungal infections, heat the enclosure to increase airflow. Mantis recovery can be helped by warmth and dryness. Keep the mantis hydrated by giving it water every day.
Injury
A mantis can sustain two types of injuries. Mantis limbs, which are extremely fragile, can easily become dislocated or lose an antennae. These things don’t bother mantises too much. Nymphs can also regenerate their missing limbs in just a few moles. Adult mantises have stopped developing and have stopped molting so they won’t be able regenerate their missing limbs.
Mantises that are missing their raptorial forelimbs will have difficulty hunting and may need hand-feeding. Euthanasia is the best choice for unlucky mantises that have lost both of their forelimbs. Because a mantis that is missing its raptorial forelimbs cannot feed itself, climb around its enclosure or molt properly,
A body injury is the other type of injury. While the mantis body can be quite tough, properly fed mantises are more vulnerable to falling injury from high falls. This could result in their abdomen bursting. Bodily injuries are often fatal and you should do your best to avoid falls when handling any mantis.
