Stagmomantis carolina
CAROLINA MANTIS
  
Special notes: The male of this species is extremely skittish and flies extremely well and excessively. My male flies a lot and ends up on the ceiling frequently. Keep this in mind as if you have a male he can quickly become an escapee.
12.4.07 Puppy died two days ago. Bless his soul and may he rest in peace.
This part of Texas seems to have many S. carolina, as I have seen several during the fall. I bet I can find a female or a couple of nymphs in the spring/summer.
11.10.07 The female S. carolina has passed. Bless her little soul. I was surprised she lasted another day after I brought her home, as she was dying by the end of the bus trip. Rest in peace baby!
11.08.07
I currently only have two of this species, one of which is dying as I type this log. I brought her home from the freshman class trip, where she lived in my suitcase for three days and I had to smuggle her onto the bus and back to my house. She is an old girl and has several broken limbs. The other S. carolina is a male who was wildcaught and is still kicking and active. He is currently taking 1/2 - 3/4 inch crickets. He reminds me of a puppy dog, and because of this I usually call him Puppy.
I will probably not be continuing this species unless I find some outside. They seem to be the most common mantis here in this area of Texas as the only mantids I have seen have been two, and they were both adult male S. carolina. If I see one I will most likely capture it and raise it and will not hesitate to mate them if I capture two of the opposite sex. I was actually hoping to mate the old female with my current male, but it looks like she is expiring and way too weak to even sustain herself yet alone the burden of bearing an ootheca.
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