▷ African Flower Mantis | All information and details

Data sheet African flower mantis

German name:
African flower mantis

Scientific name:
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii

Origin:
East and South Africa. Occurs in the countries of Kenya, Angola, Congo, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zanzibar.

Body length:
males: 3 to 4 cm | Females: 4 to 5 cm

age expectation:
Males: Up to 1 year Females: Up to 1.5 years

Behave

Lining:
Little crickets and the like. Flying insects such as fruit flies are preferred.

Behave:
Aggressive, no socialization with other insect species is recommended.

Groups/single housing:
Exclusively solitary housing, since the animal behaves aggressively even towards conspecifics.

Difficulty level:
Medium

Ngirilover, Amazing bug1 – Spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi), CC BY-SA 4.0

Many animals on our planet show great resourcefulness every day when it comes to obtaining the food they need for life.

Some of these—most notably many insects—even cloak themselves in their pursuit of prey, adapting their physical characteristics as best they can to the current environment in order to be able to overwhelm unsuspecting prey that happens to be nearby at a convenient distance.

Especially mantis (also “praying mantises» or «mantids”), like to use this hunting principle, just like they do African flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii).

Acquiring and keeping the African flower mantis

Unfortunately, the Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii is one of those insect species that do not get along well with their own kind, but rather a high degree of aggressiveness towards their conspecifics put on the day. For this reason one should always keep these animals hold individuallyand also not associated with other genera. Due to their aggressive behavior, it is also advisable to kill the mantids (if you find yourself in such a situation) immediately separate after hatching.

In this way, the animals grow a lot faster and cannot be eaten by their conspecifics, which could easily happen in the case of normal group housing.

requirements for the terrarium

So that the African flower mantis can really feel comfortable in a terrarium, the living conditions in such an insect enclosure must be designed in such a way that as forest-like conditions to rule. This includes, among other things, a wetter substrate made of earth or humusthat at least six to eight inches high is.

Once a week should use a half of this soil extensively watered become. Otherwise it is enough, the inside of the terrarium all Spray thoroughly for a day or two. So that one exoskeleton build up should always be something grated eggshell or a little cuttlebone are available in the enclosure. Terrariums for this type of praying mantis should be at least 20 cm long, 20 cm wide and 30 cm high be. You can be a little more generous, especially with the height, since the Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii very likes to climbwhat they are mainly for Woods, lianas and roots used.

gender differences

Fortunately, sexing all mantid species is relatively easy. All species of praying mantis have so-called “sternites“. It refers to visible segments on their bellies.

While male mantids always with eight sternites are blessed, females only ever have six these abdominal segments that can be made visible to the human eye under a magnifying glass. When fully grown, males still have one another, extended segment.

sexual maturity

Males of this species reach sexual maturity after the sixth moultwhile females about after seventh molt become sexually mature. However, in order to reach the stage of readiness to mate, female specimens still need after their mature moult four weeks time, whereas males after only a week ready to mate.

Feed & Nutrition

The African flower mantis’s diet consists primarily of smaller insects, which it can overpower due to its physical advantages.

But the animal likes it the most smaller flying insectslike for example fruit flies. Otherwise count among other things House crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches and crickets their preferred prey.

acclimatization and handling

In order to get the Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi used to their new home, the prevailing conditions should be adapted as well as possible to their natural habitat in advance. This praying mantis likes it relatively warmand feels at one Daily temperature from 28 to 35 °C most comfortable. At night you should monitor the temperature in the terrarium though noticeably lowerbut one should in the case of the African flower mantis do not go below 20 °C, as these insects are very sensitive to cold. In their natural habitat, there is one during the day Humidity from 30 to 50%which is then up at night 60 to 80% increases.