Budwing Mantis (Parasphendale agrionina)

Size

Females up to 7cm (3in)

Males up to 4cm (1.5in)

Moisture

i1-i4 should be kept more humid, 60-70% humidity

Spray daily or every other day

Temperature

22-28°C (72-82°F)

Sexing

Budwings can be sexed at i4 with a magnifying glass but can be easily sexed by a glance at i5. Females have 6 abdominal segments, and males have 8. Females have a wider abdomen and males are thinner and more lithe. Adult males are very thin with long antennae while females are very stocky and have reduced wings, hence their common name.

Lifespan

After molting to adult, females will last 6-8 months. Males generally last only 2-4 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 molt 8 times and mature at i9, females molt 9 times and mature at i10.

Feeding

Budwings are great eaters. They are very aggressive and will actively chase down their prey. They are not picky about feeder types.

i1-i3: Fruit flies (D. melanogaster, D. hydei), micro roaches

i4-i5: House flies, greenbottle/bluebottle flies, moths, small roaches, 1/8" crickets

i6-i8: Greenbottle/bluebottle flies, moths, small roaches, small grasshoppers, Crickets

i9-i10: Bluebottle flies, moths, small/medium roaches, medium grasshoppers, Crickets

Enclosure

i1-i4: 5.5oz deli container

i5-i6: 16oz deli containeror larger

i7-i10: 32oz deli container or larger

Breeding

About 3 weeks after maturing to adulthood a female should be ready to breed. For males, 2 weeks after molting should be enough time. Sexual cannabalism can happen.

This species can lay around 4-6 oothecae. Each ootheca can hatch as many as 150 nymphs.

Other Info

Adult female budwings may come with some serious attitude! Expect her to dazzle you with a brilliant threat pose and maybe even smack at you! Adult males may fly around their setup (or your house)! Budwings are also more prone to overeating, so make sure your feeders are appropriately sized.