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% humiditySpray 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
- i6-i8: Greenbottle/bluebottle flies, moths, small roaches, small grasshoppers
- i9-i10: Bluebottle flies, moths, small/medium roaches, medium grasshoppers
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-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.