Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys gorochovi)

Size

Females up to 8.25cm (3.25in)

Males up to 6.4cm (2.5in)

Moisture

Humidity 60-80%

Spray daily or every other day

Temperature

23-29°C (74-85°F)

Sexing

Deroplatys have different protonum shapes depending on the sex. Stages i3+ can be sexed reliably by protonum shape, or simply by counting the ventral segments. 6 for female, 8 for male. Females will develop hooks on the pronotum and their sheild will get larger with age.

Lifespan

After molting to adult, females will last 6-12 months. Males should last between 2-4 months. Deroplatys sp. females can be quite long lived. 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 generally mature between i6 and i7, molting 5-6 times. Females mature at i8 and molt 7 times.

Feeding

More prone to easily being spooked by feeders. Generally not picky about prey, but seem to love moths.

i1-i3: D. hydei, Micro Roaches, Pantry Moths

i4-i6: Waxmoths, House Flies, Bottle Flies, Small Roaches, Crickets

i6-i8: Waxmoths, Blue/Green Bottle Flies, Small-Medium Roaches, Crickets

Enclosure

Zilla enclosures work well if properly modified with mesh. Make sure any added mesh is taut and not loose. DIY setups are also popular because of this. When making a setup, try to add cross ventilation. When decorating your setup, avoid clutter and low hanging branches to prevent mismolts. Enclosures should be at least 2 times as wide as the mantis is long and 3 times as tall as the mantis is long. This will give them space to molt.

Here are some guidelines:

i1-i3: 5.5oz deli container

i3-i4: 16oz deli container

i5-i7: 32oz deli container

i7-i8: 80oz deli container

Other Info

When disturbed, this leaf-like species is known to drop to the ground and play dead.