SILVER BARK MANTIS ~ GONATISTA GRISEA
This is not the common species of mantis! This is a RARE Silver Bark Mantis! Most other mantids are not very suitable to raise indoors, this mantis species is one of the best to raise indoors! Gonatista Grisea / Grizzled Mantis / Silver Bark Mantis insects are quite rare. They are not an endangered species ( livemantis.com is dong all we can to keep it that way, breeding and releasing them in large numbers!)
The color of these mantids is silver to white when raised indoors and kept on light colored surfaces. The color can be light brown if the mantis is kept on a wood colored surface. The legs are purple and black, there is a white band and a yellow band around the body. The abdomen is shaped like an arrowhead, the boy is flat! The eyes bulge like a bulldogs eyes! A species with LOTS of eye appeal and a great personaility. Mantids love the keep company with humans!
THE LIFESPAN FOR THIS SPECIES IS ABOUT ONE YEAR!
This mantis ( Gonatista Grisea mantis ) is suitable for raising indoors and can live all the way through adulthood in a small container (suitable containers along with the mantids are offered, when available, on the livemantis.com store page) The Grizzled Mantis / Silver Bark Mantis Gonatista grisea U.S. Native mantis species in its container does not take up more than 4 inches in width of shelfspace. This species is very happy and cozy in the customized containers offered on the Live Mantis Store page. No plants, dirt or any other items need to be added to the mantids housing other than a small section of plain white paper towel along the enclosure floor. The pre punched poly fabric coated ventilated lid and a praying mantis perch is all that is needed to make this species comfortable!
If you wish to raise one of these mantids the customised containers are all that will be needed for housing as the mantids are comfortable and happy all life long in the container included with them. Mantids do not like to chase food, so please keep the mantis in the container provided as it is optimized to provide the perfect conditions a mantis needs. The container is to be kept at room temperature, no lights or heat mats are needed.
CARE PROVISIONS FOR THE GONATISTA GRISEA MANTIS SPECIES :
1. This species grows smaller than the chinese species, they can be kept in the customized containers offered on the Live Mantis Store page. Larger containers create a problem when the feeder insects can hide, smaller containers cramp the mantis and may cause a mismolt. So the container instructions are to get one of the custom containers for this species of mantis. 2. Food : For the first 4 weeks the mantids will need USDA Approved Wingless Fruit Flies, later they will eat crickets or silkworms. While the mantis is a baby (L1 L2) they will eat only small insects. A combination of fruit flies and hatchling silkworms are an excellent diet for the baby mantids. After the mantis is too large for fruit flies there are silkworms that are appropriate for all stages of the life of the mantis. Crickets are ok to feed the mantis only for about the frist 8 days after the completion of a molt, the silkworms or other non biting non chewing insects only. Food is inexpensive and feeding requires very little effort on your part. 3. Water : A brand new never before used spray mist bottle will be needed. You should spray mist the lid of the container with 5 even mists once every 1 to 2 days. Do not keep the container absolutely wet! The Bark Mantis needs a light mist once per day. The mantids get most of the water they need from eating insects, but indoors, water seems to be a must to keep the humidity right (at about 60%) A single layer of plain white paper towel should be placed on the floor of the container to prevent puddles of water. Never allow puddles as they will drown the feeder insects and possibly the mantis. The paper towel prevents puddles while the water drips through the poly fabric coated ventilated lid of a custom container, so be sure to add the paper towel to the floor of your mantis container..
MORE PRAYING MANTIS PICTURES ~ OTHER MANTIS SPECIES'
Some mantids look really strange, unlike manitds you are used to seeing! Click on the stick mantis or Bark Mantis link and you will see
Click here to view the Brunners Stick Mantis / Brunneria Borealis Mantis Species
Click here to view the Bark Mantis / G Grisea Mantis Species
Click here to view the CAROLINA MANTIS / Stagmomantis Carolina Mantis Species
Click here to view the Grass Like Mantis / Species
Click here to view the European Mantis / Mantis Religiosa Mantis Species
Click here to view the California Mantis / Stagmomantis Californica Mantis Species
Click here to view the Chinese Mantis / T Sinensis Mantis Species
CLICK HERE TO BUY A PRAYING MANTIS ~ BUY LIVE PRAYING MANTIS INECTS HERE