Asian Flower Mantis (Creobroter apicalis)

Size

3-5cm (1.25-2in)

Moisture

50-60%

Spray daily

Temperature

21-28°C (70-83°F)

Sexing

Individuals can be sexed by counting abdomen segments from i4 onwards. Females will have 6 and males will have 8. i5 onwards it’s very easy to tell females from males because females have a very prominent ovipositor.

Lifespan

After molting to adult, females will last 6-8 months. Males generally last only 2-3 months. Lifespans can often vary due to things such as diet, rate of feeding, and temperature. The colder it is, the slower they grow.

Instars

Males can molt to adulthood between i7 and i8, while females will molt to adulthood between i8 and i9. There will generally be an instar difference, but not always.

Feeding

Feeding is easy as these are a very agressive species and willing to hunt down their prey. Males tend to be slightly more skittish than females when it comes to feeding.

i1-i3: D. melanogaster, D. hydei

i4-i6: D. hydei, house flies, pantry moths, small roaches

i6-i9: Waxmoths, green/blue bottle flies, small roaches, small to medium Crickets or grasshoppers of similar size

Enclosure

i1-i3: 5.5oz deli container

i4-i5: 16oz deli container

i6-i8: 32oz deli container