Drakeposting Edition This is the invertebrate general. If y

>>2408076
I have a snail that hitchhiked its way into my indoor compost bin, it was a baby and its now huge. I throw washed eggshells and fresh leafy greens for it. One thing that has me worried - do snails crave/want light to survive? I keep it in the bin 24/7 and i cant free it outside because its all dry asphault

>>2408083
They don't really need it but it probably prefers to have a day/night cycle, even if they are mainly active at night.

>>2408083
No animal needs sunlight. It is a fucking myth. Cats are just dumb and sit in it to get warm, but all mammals are mildly allergic to it. Hypertrichosis is present everywhere, and it dictates terrible effects from sunlight exposure.

Ever had an infected hair? You are allergic to the sunlight.

I'll just stop, you probably won't get anything out of this hereditary allergy discussion.

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>>2408083
>Let my people go

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I made a bullshit video of how I keep my mantis in mason jars. I don't know if it's the best information, but if you want a low cost and low maintenance mantis habitat, this has worked for me.

https://youtu.be/v7B0vRwlBWk

>>2408152
don't they get bored?

>>2408152
>animal longer than width of enclosure
>can't rotate

Stop man. You can get a 2 gallon bin for a dollar at the dollar store. Why?

>>2408152
That's too small m8

>>2408152
>>>>2407318

>>2408160
>>2408157

That's way too big for a mantis. They're arboreal ambush predators, they wait for prey animals to come to them. Having a big enclosure means more work for the mantis. It's the same reason mantis don't need much substrate, they're not meant to ever be in the dirt, they live their whole life at the top of a branch. That's why they stay at the top, they want to be high up.

The first jar is a pint for L2-5, and the larger jar for subadults and adults, which is a bit more than 32oz. The only things that would need something bigger is gongys, which I would use a large mesh cage for, and diabolica for their size.

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>>2408160

Mantis start out really small. You wouldn't need something that big until they're adults, and even then, you don't want to put too many feeder insects in there. If it's smaller it's more likely they'll be able to catch them.

>>2408192
A friendly, explanatory response. Haven't had this in weeks, thank you friend.

>>2408157
No, they search for a spot and stay there waiting for prey, that's their entire life. They often don't move for days.

>>2408160
>>2408162
What >>2408192 said. Please don't write about stuff you know nothing about. Most of them are actually too big.


>>2408152
No cross ventilation will eventually backfire with more fragile species. Also most can't climb that glass and that reduces surface area for them to use. Plastic boxes might not look as good but they are a lot easier to modify. Also sphagnum moss is much better looking that that plastic stuff.

And why the moonlight bulb? I think having a nice spotlight above them looks a lot better, especially when it's kinda bleak outside.

And don't feed crickets, that definitely will eventually backfire.

>>2408231

When I started out there wasn't much information available for the mantis hobby. I'm trying to create more so people have more information available. I've only kept three species, and I'm still learning.

The minimum suggestion is two times their size width and three times their height tall containers. That's pretty cramped, I think, and I go a bit bigger, but not by a whole lot. I think a common beginner mistake is reusing terrariums that are too large, and too wide, especially if they're ordering a nymph.

I should have also said you can bake the sticks you find outside to remove any parasites/mold/fungus, but that depends on where you live. Misting shouldn't ever keep the stick too wet, or you can grow fungus.

My goal is to get my own office someday, and have a cool decorated mason jar with a neat orchid or something in it.

>>2408245

I trust the place I get my crickets, I would never feed wild caught ones. I give them a varied diet between those and flies I catch. I would do roaches or refrigerate pupae, but my girlfriend would kill me.

I agree with cross ventilation. I'd definitely recommend mesh for arid species.

>>2408252
I not only mean the parasites in crickets, they are also just aggressive. Even if you avoid losing one in the enclosure so your mantis won't get eaten when it molts they can still do harm if they're caught and the mantis holds them in a way that they can bite back, especially in species that are not build as robust as the ones you have. Also crickets are loud and smell, they're just shit feeders in general.

It might take a lot of convincing but a colony of dubia roaches is low effort, they don't smell, they're not loud or dirty and they certainly are better feeders than crickets, even if you have to feed "manually" because they don't climb.

>I agree with cross ventilation. I'd definitely recommend mesh for arid species.
Not only for arid species. Humidity is actually almost irrelevant. All high humidity does is slow the water loss from breathing. The higher the humidity the less water they lose. But this doesn't matter if they can drink to replenish it. Of course if it's so low that they have to drink constantly that's stressful. I spray either every 1 or 2 days and let it evaporate completely and keep all species with a lot of ventilation, regardless if they're from tropical forests or deserts. It's a lot less effort and you don't have to worry about mould ever again.

Also, and I don't want to come off as hostile, but you said yourself you only have kept 3 species and probably not bred one yet, I think you should not give general care advice like that.

>>2408247
thx for explaining

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This seems like the best thread to post in. I ordered some isopods and springtails for a bioactive tank that i'm planning to set up, but the problem is the substrate i'm planning to use is on backorder all of a sudden so I'm stuck waiting for it. I have some extra eco earth at home that might do the trick but basically,

A) what's the best way to keep these guys alive when they inevitably arrive earlier than my substrate and
B) Are different cleaners better suited to different habitats? I'm going for a beardie setup here and I picked up silver springtails and dwarf whites.

Anyway, any help is appreciated on both questions. Thanks guys.

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>>2408278

Yeah, I've heard a lot of warnings and people straight out advising against crickets. My philosophy is to give them a varied diet like they would get in the wild, which means they can eat whatever they can catch. I have heard of crickets biting off the forelegs, which worries me. So far I haven't had it happen, though. I like them as an easy staple, and introduce true bugs like box elders, and the invasive elm seed bugs that take over my house which have only been in my state for the last couple years. Although, they might be too small for my nymphs now. It's funny that the elm seed bug is native to the Mediterranean, so it's actual part of the B mendica's natural diet. I basically feed a foreign invasive species to my foreign pet species.

Eventually I'll do something on feeding, including exactly what you've said. Right now I don't put more than one cricket in their habitat at a time, which they usually eat right away, and don't leave them in over night.

They're also on my work desk, so I like the moon bulb. I live in Utah, which is pretty arid, with extreme dips in temperature at night. And because I have a swamp cooler it helps maintain a smaller change in temperature when I leave it on at night.

Eventually I'd like to keep a diabolica, which I'm assuming will have higher requirements.

>>2408304
Just a box with a bit of slightly damp paper towel and some cucumber or other vegetable for them to eat should be fine for a few days.

Also don't beardies need it pretty dry? Especially the substrate? The springtails certainly won't survive unless you give them at least one moist corner. Same for the isopods probably. The ones that tolerate dryness the best are Armadillidium species.

>>2408308
Varied diet is good, they especially like flying stuff. The risk of giving them parasites by accident is very, very low. You can go out and catch stuff to give them mostly without problem. I'd suggest moths and non-parasitic flies. I'd not feed most beetles and true bugs, many are toxic or contain bitter substances.

>I have heard of crickets biting off the forelegs, which worries me.
Yup. Stay the fuck away from crickets, especially for any Empusidae or other fragile species.

>I basically feed a foreign invasive species to my foreign pet species.
That is actually pretty ironic. I wonder if B. mendica could become naturalized in your climate too.

>Right now I don't put more than one cricket in their habitat at a time
>and don't leave them in over night.
That's exactly what you should do. Gotta be extra careful with these fuckers.

>Eventually I'd like to keep a diabolica, which I'm assuming will have higher requirements.
Ask here if you want advice, we have me and at leat one other guy that knows his shit about them here.

>>2408308
how extreme are your temperature dips btw? many species actually appreciate quite strong nighttime drops

>>2408318

I honestly don't think any of the exotic species I keep could survive in Utah. Between competing with the nativized Chinese and the extreme weather, below 0 in the winter and above 100 in the summer, not much can tolerate it. Jesus, I can barely tolerate it.

>>2408318
From what I understand, yes, but what I'm hoping for( alot of this i picked up off reading thebiodude's website and watching videos) is that the right mix of substrate will basically let the moisture fall lower into it and keep the top part more dry, giving the cleaners a place to stay, keeping plant roots pretty well hydrated, and leaving the top layer dry enough to keep general humidity fairly low. I could be wrong, though. I'm hoping I'm not, desu.

>>2408321

It was 90 today, and it will be 65 tonight.

>>2408324
There certainly are mantids that thrive in those conditions though. You have T. sinensis already, but M. religiosa can also easily tolerate those conditions. Maybe also Empusa pennata, they're like mini Idolomantis, pretty cool.

>Jesus, I can barely tolerate it.
Hey at least you can retrat inside and have air conditioning. Even though it only get to 95 or higher here a few days a year its pure suffering because no AC.

>>2408326
Tropical ones won't tolerate that, but that's actually completely fine for most arid species.

>>2408325
Oh, you're going for natural tank, right. Yeah, that shoud work. I somehow still imagined the usualy awful plastic plants, 2" of substrate and other such atrocitiesthat you always see.

Be aware that your springtail population will explode initially as they consume what is in the substrate and then have a massive dieoff. It will balance out after a few weeks.

>>2408337
I appreciate that. I'm going for a 60/40 eco earth playsand mix which from what I know holds together pretty well. I've been a little confused on the lack of or necessity of drainage layers for a while so I'm going to start off without one and closely monitor the setup.

>>2408334

In Utah I believe we have all of the US species, except for Brunner's, as well as the Religiosa and Chinese.

I think the world would be prettier with more orchid mantis in it, but I'm careful to warn people about letting anything go outside. The more people that keep them, the more likely that may happen.

The mantis hobby is still pretty small, but from everything I know it's growing pretty fast right now. I was concerned about making videos and talking about it at all, since legally, it's a little grey as far as trading exotic species across state lines. I don't know how much attention I want to bring to it, but I feel like it's too fascinating not to share.

>>2408304
If you put the isopods into a temporary setup, make sure they have some uneven surfaces to grab onto to. They're not the smartest creatures and will inevitably flip themselves onto their back. If they don't have something to right themselves with, they can die. I recommend a wet, crumpled up paper tower and maybe a few leaves or twigs.

>>2408353

They've gone unchanged for hundreds of millions of years, and that can kill them???

>>2408356
In all fairness to them, tupperware containers have only been around for a few decades.

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Can an anon explain what is going on in this webm?

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>>2408368

Looks like someone hid some honey in that pot and everybody wants a piece.

>>2408368
That is an internet meme called the Harlem shake. The bugs are doing the dance in hopes of creating a viral hit.

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>>2408371
Huh. Okay. I'm surprised at how aggressive the flies are being at harassing that tarantula hawk, I figured a bit of food wouldnt have been worth it. Thanks.

>>2408409
>ask invert general about interesting bug behavior hoping for neat information
>get half-decade old normie memes instead

O-okay...

>>2408414

Bugs are just robots. Their programming isn't very sophisticated.

exo factory.pl is a scam, right? No fucking way they have so many rare species just conveniently available.

>>2408450

I doubt all of them are all available right now. I don't doubt that Poland has lax laws about international imports, and he's just shipping in whatever ooths he wants.

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>>2408368
a social gathering, here to talk about the latest gossip

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quick post cute moths

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>>2408492

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>>2408152
>no cross ventilation
>humidity far too low
this will kill your Hymenopus

>>2408308
>Eventually I'd like to keep a diabolica, which I'm assuming will have higher requirements.
please try to keep/breed easier species for a few years first
And try to do it right first, before even thinking about I. diabolica

Speaking of I. diabolica...do you think a multi-species setup with H. orientalis and I. diabolica could work? There's a lot of room left in my screen cage...

They shouldn't prey on each other as long as the sizes aren't too different and they both do best in a screen cage. Also the conditions are similar, with the Idolos wanting it a bit warmer, but that is easily done with the temperature gradient I have anyway.

I'm actually really curious if that could work, I'd just need Idolo nymphs of the right size. L4/5 probably.

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>>2408368
My guess is sodium

Most insects/land based arthropods don't get much salt in their diet, so they'll turn to whatever sources they can get. it would explain the diversity being displayed on that one tree branch. As to how enough salt to attract that many animals got there, I don;t know. Perhaps it was placed there by the cmaeraman. Only logical explanation I can think of.

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Any anons here ever owned a Hercules beetle? I've never actually seen someone post (on any forum) about having one, despite that you can get them/their larvae.

Any idea of their temperament? I owned an Atlas beetle, and he was aggressive as shit (punching with his spiky forearms and hissing). I wonder if these are similar?

>>2408658
I hear they are. Male are also supposedly very aggressive towards females, even killing them sometimes.

>>2408617
What about the humidity increase for (sub) adult diabolicas though?

>>2408828
That could indeed be quite tricky.

I could take out subadults for their final molt, but I could only do two at a time.
Or I could increase humidity for all of them for a while, but I don't know how the Heterochaeta would take to that.

That probably means I can only put two Idolomantis in there (which would be better anyway, I don't want to overcrowd it).

There's no horribly important thing I'm missing here, right? In theory this should work.

>>2408076
Our OP is starting to look decent. Good job.

>>2408839
In theory it sounds possible. Idolomantis are ceiling dwellers, so I guess they won't meet each other much. I imagine that they grow a good bunch faster than the Heterochaetas though.

You might want to reinforce the ceiling for diabolicas with something like sticks running along the top or a layer of rubberized shelf liner/polyester mesh for a better grip than flyscreen.

>>2408871
There already are a bunch of very thin sticks at the ceiling, that's how I put my branches in. I cut them too long and then squeeze them in so the pressure holds them in place. I could just put a lot more though, no problem. The Heterochaetas sit on the sections that are about their own thickness, so they look like branches. Funny how they know that.


>I imagine that they grow a good bunch faster than the Heterochaetas though.
I don't know how fast they actually grow, I could ask the seller though.

That only leaves the biggest problem: Actually getting any Idolo nymphs. There don't seem to be any at the moment.

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>>2408847
It's a growin'

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>>2408884
found one place that has L2 nymphs, for 15€ each

I never looked at I. diabolica prices, is this normal?

>>2408963
Pretty much. Private breeders sometimes sell them for like 12€.

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Just how far into pre-molt do you have to go before it becomes unsafe to package and ship a T?

>>2408963
>Loads rifle mag
>shoots self with pistol

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Look who just molted.

A lot bigger now.

>>2408974
Ouch.

Well I do plan to breed them so I guess I'll just have to see this as an investment. But they're small, so if they really do grow faster that should mean I'll be fine.

>>2408976
The problem is it's hard to tell how far away from a molt they actually are most of the time. I wouldn't risk it unless you know for sure it's still more than 2 weeks away.

>>2408993
Her abdomen is still fairly peach. I can see the gray fringes of her new exoskeleton starting to form though. If what you're saying is right, I ought to make this fast.

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well, i diagnosed milo as dead this morning and disposed of his corpse. also i finally got my shit together and got some proper supplies for the tank, like good soil,a background, moss, and some food and ornaments.

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>>2409003
pic of food and moss i got.

>>2409003
Nice background, but what's with the ugly plastic tube?

>>2409010
a little play area i thought they would like, supposed to be for mice and other rodents, but...ehh...can always redneck use it as a millipede tank ornament. notice how i closed off the top opening with a rubber band and mesh? don't want another unnecessary fatality on my hands again.lol

>>2409012
they're probably not gonna use that, also imo it doesn't fit at all

they do like to climb though, a nice piece of rotting wood would provide both something to climb on as well as some food, also makes it look a lot better

if you go outside and get one make sure to properly clean it though (put into boiling water for 30 minutes or so)

>>2408982
Imagine that going in your ear

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>>2409139

>>2409139
He's the most peaceful centipede I've ever had.

He can chill in my ear if he wants, he's a good boy, but he's too big for that now, there's no way he could fit.

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Fat spooder set up camp into my garden.

>>2408152
the food for the mantises has a larger home than the mantis themselves.

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Who would win:

The personification of Hatred
or
Fluffy love spidder of perseverance?

open the image to find out

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FUCK
I have two Blepharopsis mendica nymphs. They were shipped as supposed L2's. I've had them for almost two weeks and each has molted successfully. One has dropped dead, or is very close and barely moves, and I need to figure out why so I can save the other.
Puc related is what they shipped in and what I've been keeping them. Been feeding them fruit flies from a culture, and keeping them in the sun on my windowsill, where it reaches around 90 degrees farenheit, near what I've read they need to be in. At night I just let them get to room temp around 75 degrees. I've been feeding them pretty much as many flies as they want to eat, is it possible to overfeed? They go through maybe seven a day. Havent been giving them any water to avoid humidity issues, what I read tells me they can get all they need from flies.
Are mantis nymphs just prone to death? Somebody tell me what I'm doing wrong. It's possible I bumped is mid molt, in which case it's doomed anyway right?

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>>2409139
more like my vagina

>>2409230
Why are they so fucking OP
I love it

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>>2409236
RIP
;-;

>>2408123
Pray tell, what is an infected hair, and why is it so sexy?
I think that it's still important to get a mild amount of sun for Vitamin D synthesis, but that's a bigger concern for people with darker skin.

>>2408304
Hey all, so it's the guy who ordered iso's/springtails again. I got some dwarf white isopods and some silver springtails from ready reptile feeders and i legit cannot tell the difference between the 2.... they both came with some leaf litter and damp soil in their shipping containers and have tiny holes but like... any protips? one container came with what looked more like someone grabbed some leaves and twigs and shit and moistened it up and threw it in and the other just looks like some damp potting soil? Not sure. Anyway, if this is enough info any help would be appreciated because i clearly have gone too deep without realizing >_>

>>2409236
Is the lid of your cups just plastic? If is, they lack proper ventilation. Cut a hole in the lids and glue flyscreen to them, or just cut up a nylon stocking and put that over the cups so they get better ventilation and have a space to hang from.

The decoration in the left cup is bad because it doesn't give molting space. Take that stuff out, make a top like described and put in one or two sticks only to have some open space. They don't look tall enough either. Might work for another molt, but you should prepare something new already. The height should be at least 3x the length of the mantis.

How is the sun during the day? You sure it can't shine on them too directly and overheat the little cups?

Overfeeding shouldn't be the problem. I dump in larger amounts in my nymph boxes too.

Of course there's still the possibility of completely random nymph deaths at L3, but I think in this case the things I've listed could also have played their part.

>>2409350
Thanks for the advice. I'll get a more proper setup for my survivor and hope for the best.

>>2409352
Also, is there a good way to tell if a nymph is in premolt? Can't figure out a way to feed it without possibly disturbing its hanging.

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I just got to watch an ant colony relocating in its entirety across my back deck. Took about two hours for them to carry all their brood across (a new crack in the bricks in my yard, apparently), and it's so much fun watching the little broads meander about. I smushed a mosquito who was trying to murder me and dropped it in their path, and one brave woman decided to shoulder the burden and dragged that thing all the way to the new colony.

Eventually the queen trundled her fat ass out and started the trek. She was mobbed by workers, and it took almost half an hour for her to get across.

Couldn't tell exactly what species it was, but I'm leaning towards Argentine ants, which are currently in the process of taking over California. The queen looked almost exactly like pic related, but tiny blackish-brown ants are easy to misidentify.

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>>2409355
For very young nymphs it's hard to see because it usually happens pretty fast. They often eat on the same day they are gonna molt.

Older nymphs will usually stop eating a few days before and position themselves like pic related before the molt. The upper body is leaning steeper downwards than in their usual sitting position.

What I do to not disturb nymphs too much is having little plugs on the side of the boxes. I can just open those and swiftly dump in food without having to open the entire lid.

>>2409381
Okay, thanks again. I'll work up a nice house out of cardboard and screen for this other guy. The dead one is still barely kicking and able to flail a single raptor limb, which makes me think that this is a failed molt situation and not a death by cooking or lack of ventilation. Sad day. I have a lot to learn about mantids, tarantulas are so much less trouble but also so much less charismatic and fun.

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P. horrida after a meal

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I woke up today by the sting of this motherfucker. Unfortunately for it I trapped it and it is now my prisoner. I don't know what is it or what punishment should I give it. Does anyone know what bug is?

>>2409534
Looks like a milkweed assassin bug. Don't bully!

>>2409538
wheres the fun if i don't make it suffer?

>>2409549
These people love bugs more than humans. Bugs cant feel pain like mammals, so do what you will. I will say this..... kill it with fire when ur done, just to make sure it cant sting you again.

>>2409300
Everything is fine. Those boxes are actually complete cultures, you can keep them in those indefinitely. Keep them at the same moisture they have now and feed them with flake food for fish. Take a little bit, make it into really fine powder and spead it in those boxes.


>>2409431
>cardboard
Are you sure about that? You can't really clean that and it won't last, and you can't spray water into that. Better to get a plastic box and work with that.

And yes, you can spray water. If they have proper ventilation it is absolutely no problem and actually good for them, they will drink. With good ventilation it just evaporates in a few hours so you don't have to worry about humidity or molding.

Oh and if you get plastic boxes make not only the top but also one side of them flyscreen also, that further improves airflow.

>>2409551
https://academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/article/52/2/175/659957/Pain-and-Suffering-in-Invertebrates
https://academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/article/33/1-2/25/737400/A-Question-of-Pain-in-Invertebrates
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/neu.20082/full

>>2409236
>keeping them in the sun on my windowsill,
>no real ventilation

that's it, you baked them

>>2409593
I agree, sounds like overheating, not molt related problems.

Never EVER put anything in an enclosed container in direct sunlight.

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sharing a meal
almost cute

>>2409611
What are those? M. balfouri?

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>>2409618
Jep, M. balfouri

I have two more in there, but they were busy digging tunnels while the ones in thräe pic ate.

Also, because there are a few antkeepers here:
Can someone like me some kind of General caresheet/detailed ant website where I can get a good amount of knowledge about keeping ants (not only about beginner species)?
I have a few species that I'd fucking love to get, but I do not know if the colony sizes stay managable..

>>2409659
Nice. I hear they actually grow faster in communal setups too.

I actually have a pair of them now, the male is mature but the female is right around his size (in legspan, of course she has a much heavier build). I'm not sure if I should try mating them now or wait for another molt from the female because I don't know how long M. balfouri males last.

His ultimate molt was pretty much exaclty a month ago now.

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Just saw my first Metallyticus female spraying hormones.

I am 200% excited now.

>>2409659
Ant care is a bit more complex than most insects because they're eusocial and usually fill some sort of niche. I wouldn't recommend looking for a general caresheet. There are two main ant forums, yuku (kinda dead these days) and formiculture. My recommendation is to search for threads related to the species you want to keep. The antscanada forum is primarily populated by amateurs and kids, so I don't recommend it as a resource.

Also regarding colony size, almost all ant species can boom into thousands if not millions of workers under the right conditions. That can take years though depending on their development speed.

>>2409867
There's also antwiki, but like the name implies it's just a general repository for ant knowledge.
http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Welcome_to_AntWiki

>>2409867
Seconding formiculture. They're helpful and very knowledgeable.

I like the AntsCanada folks, but if you're looking for more in depth info, you wont find it there.

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well,looks like that poster was wrong, my two millipedes Milo and Mia seem to enjoy that tube...

>>2408982
What a pretty little bug, I would totally own one if I didn't have so many animals that would eat it.

>>2409901
What do you mean "other animals would eat it"? How would these other animals ever get at the centipede?

Do you think we let them roam around the house or something? What the fuck?

>>2409896
Not too surprising. I have a western hognose snake that is always chilling in an empty paper towel tube I gave him. Basically prefers it to burrowing.

I gave an empty toilet paper tube to my smallest tarantula, and it's nearly always on top of it, and rarely inside of it.

milo was chewing on my fingers today, probably eating some dead skin cells.oh well protein i guess. didn't hurt, was just a little ticklish is all.

>>2410231
Maybe he was going for some salt?

>>2410238
yeah, now that you mention it, i did sweat a little bit

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>>2409707
>I don't know how long M. balfouri males last.
I don't think that they would live very long after their final molt
If I were you I'd just try to pair them up, if she has his legspan, it should be fine

>>2409754
>Just saw my first Metallyticus female spraying hormones.
fucking nice

>>2409867
>>2409884
>>2409891
>I like the AntsCanada folks, but if you're looking for more in depth info, you wont find it there.
Thanks guys! Yea, I was looking for in depth infos on some very specific species.

I heard that the founding phase is the most difficult part for some species, and that's what I'm afraid of. Not the keeping of a colony, but the founding of one.

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>>2410363
>If I were you I'd just try to pair them up, if she has his legspan, it should be fine
I just did that and it went over without a hitch. He even went back into his own box after he was done. A real gentleman. Female is going to go into a much bigger box soon then.

Do you think I should attempt multiple matings? As far as I've seen he inserted both bulbs multiple times.

I'm gonna edit and upload that video today I think, it was so smooth and easy, editing should be a breeze.

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>>2410492
I'd try multiple pairings, but if you think that this one was successful, you can leave them be


Also, are you fucking kidding me?
I orderd a few spiders from another country, and apparently they are currently at customs.. Why, I thought it is no problem within the EU..
Why do I have so much bad luck lately..
Well, let's hope they are still alive when they arrive.. fuck

And here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8iQhTWpFoA

>>2410666
Customs can still happen, completely at random. Usually adds 2 days to delivery time.

What did you order? If it's tarantulas there's a good chance they'll survive, anything else I'm not so sure about, especially in this weather.

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>>2410719
good shit

>>2410719
looking good, congrats!

>If it's tarantulas there's a good chance they'll survive
yep, tarantulas
Hoping for the best..
never had that happen before..shit..

took a video of my 2nd pair of millipedes yesterday:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBHpIyQ6-ec

>>2410989
link don't work

>>2410998
you gotta copy and paste it in a new link idk how to embed shit

Any recommendations for a first old world T? I've had a A. avic and B. albopilosum for 4 months now and want something that will really stand out. I've been thinking of maybe getting a P irminia first since I heard they're a good segway into old worlds. Any suggestions?

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Idk if you guys can feel emotion for inverts but i have to share this story.
>2015
>been interested in moths, second year photographing them
>one night find an imperial moth female at gas station light
>ecstatic
>imperial moths are my favorite moth and I had never even seen one.
>take her home
>she lays EGGS
>never raised insects before
>oh shit oh shit oh shit
>call a bug friend and he tell me what to do
>caterpillars hatch and give like 10 to friend
>really shitty at raising caterpillars like half of the 60 i had die
>raise around 30 of them to pupation

Cont...

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>2016
>ive raised quite a few broods if moths now so ive gotten better
>imperials start emerging
>super excited because they were my first
>let go of many before i realize
>wtf am i doing i should be continuing the line
>2 pupa left
>male (this is bad because males dont call for mates so you cant attract a female to a male)
>last one is a female
>set her out for 2 nights
>no luck.
>totally devastated because of my own stupidity
>never get to keep the genetic line going of my first moths
Feels bad man.
To make matters worse
>go to clean nets about 3 weeks later
>dead imperial caterpillars.
Wtf
>turns out 2 of my imperials had mated and i didnt know, meaning i could have kept the line going (inbreeding with moths is A okay)
>move on with my life because its just bugs, whatever. [spoiler] ;_; [/spoiler]

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2017
>pretty much an expert as raising moths at this point
>forever haunted by the fact that i couldnt keep that line going still a year later
>get a text from friend
>"hey man, one if your imperials from 2015 just emerged"
What the fuck.
>turns out some imperials with stay underground for 2 years instead of
>drive over there
>its a female
>"lol sorry dude i guess she emerged YESTERDAY, she's already dropping unfertilized eggs"
>nope, i dont give fuck.
>"but imperials dont even mate until july"
>I dont GIVE A FUCK
>slap her into a mating cage and drive her out to grandmas house in the boonies
>string her up in a tree
>5 hours later
>nothing
>give up hope of ever continuing my first moth family
>go to turn off the light
>FLAP FLAP
>see little yellow wings outside the cage
>holy shit holy shit holy shit
>stick him in with her.

I am happy to say that they have successfully paired and will have the grandchildren of the first Imperial moth i ever found.

I know hope that i can keep this line of imperials going for years. It would be like a living memory of the first bugs i ever raised. Im so happy right now /an/.

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>>2411470
>>2411475
>>2411481
Sorry for all the spelling mistakes.
Its 3am and im fucking THRILLED.
i was just thinking how cool would it be to be 40 years old and have the 24th generation of caterpillars from the very first moth you raised when you were 16. (Im 18 now)
Im just so excited /an/ hold me.

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>>2408140
>this was posted almost a year ago
Time flies.

>>2411489
Congrats dude. That really is quite the story. I hope you can keep the line going, they really are beautiful moths.

>>2411238
You're not gonna see any Psalmopoeus much, and they're really quite a bit faster than anything you have.

I would recommend and OBT. That spider will let you know it doesn't want to be touched, so there are no uncertainties. Also they are very easy to care for and make great looking webs.

Or I could shill for my favorite species at the moment, Monocentropus balfouri. Very pretty, just as easy, not very aggressive. Just harder to find and much more expensive than an OBT, especially in the US.

Both want *plenty* of substrate to dig in and decently high temperatures for optimal growth (small desklamp should be sufficient.). Just make sure the lamp isn't so strong that it heats up the entire box, so they can actually burrow away from the heat. And initially a waterbowl and a hide of course, but you know that. I say initially becasue the waterbowl will get covered with web anyway and when they're done digging and webbing they won't really use the hide.

Also keep the bottom layers of the substrate ever so slightly moist (when you fill the box put in a stick in one corner, then you can pull it out to pour water down there, so the surface stays dry but the bottom is moist, and the put the stick back in of course).

>>2410363
The founding stage is the most volatile time, certainly. It's also the stage that requires the most patience - you're literally going to capture that queen, put her in a tube and forget about here for anywhere from a few months to half a year (or longer) depending on the species. Camponotus in particular takes a long, long time to get out of the tube phase - you're almost certainly going to have to hibernate the queen before she's ready to move out of her tube home.

That depends on your own region, of course. What species were you curious about?

Suggest me something I could put in a 30cm cube terrarium that has kinda bad ventilation. Substrate fill height is about 10cm in the front.

>>2411616
I actually really want an OBT but my gf would probably freak out about it. She loves my avic and curly hair but is terrified thanks to all the horror stories about them being freakishly strong and agressive, opening their enclosures by themselves etc. They're so pretty though....M. balfouri looks awesome as well but they are a bit hard to find. I was thinking of the psalmo as a kind of introductory teleporting arboreal since I do want a pokey at some point.

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Fuck yes!

I know you can't see shit but that's a pair of M. splendidus mating.

>>2411644
also the other male is going absolutely nuts because another female is now releasing hormones and he can't find her

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>>2411644

Congratulations.

>>2411643
Honestly, pokies are fine. They are definitely not aggressive, they'd rather run than bite. I don't think you're an idiot so you shouldn't have a problem with one. Just imagine your Avic but twice as fast and more easily disturbed. And as long as they have a proper hide they're gonna run into that every single time anway.

Any Lampropelma is more trouble desu.

Start with one of the smaller pokies like metallica or ornata.
P. metallica is the best beginner pokie imo.

>>2411670
Also no spider should ever be able to open its own enclosure.

These experiences are exclusive to IDIOTS. A lot of them get a tarantula to show off, impress friends or feel like a badass. Husbandry requirements should be the main consideration when judging if a species is for beginners and not aggression and speed because these should never concern the keeper anyway if he or she is doing it correctly. This whole "beginner spiders are the ones you can handle" thing came about from well meaning people trying to idiot proof this hobby so 15 year olds get tarantulas that won't bite them.

Anyone with half a brain that actually cares about his animals can keep any tarantula without a problem.

Try to convince your girlfriend of that, but maybe a less autistic way than this post.

>>2411673
Makes sense, most of the stories do seem to be people being stupid anyways like hand feeding. And I don't handle so I should be fine if they're even more skittish than avics.

>>2411238
I love the genus Psalmopoeus, but as mentioned, don't hope for a display spider.

Otherwise I'm a big fan of ow terrestrial.
C. darlingi are next to bulletproof and are a joy to watch grow if you want a cheap baboon that isnt a P. murinus.

I can't speak for ow arborials too much, I've got an H. mac that I never see but they're also cheap and good looking when you see them.


In my experience, OWs are not great for display or to "stand out"...but of course I don't keep pokies so that could be the difference. For display spiders I like to stick with NW terrestrials. There are so many that are just big and beautiful

>>2411705
Also, it's my opinion that the latter system of advancing through spiders is, in general, meant to be overly cautious and conservative to discourage new keepers from getting in over their head. As mentioned, speed and defensiveness is nothing as long as you have a proper environment for your spider.

If you are confident (and not cocky) about your ability to care for an OW spider then I don't think it is needed to have a transition to OW spider.

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Premolt or just a bald spot from a grumpy red knee?

>>2408304
What kind of isopod is that? It looks amazing.

>>2411781
Bald spot as a result from grumpiness and hair kicking, the beige area on the abdomen will turn black/shiny when the spider is in premolt.

>>2411791
That's a pill millipede, not an isopod. Probably Zoosphaerium from Madagascar.

They get imported sometimes and then quickly die in captivity because no one actually knows what they eat.

>>2411793
Got it. I don't really handle this T, so I wasn't sure why it went bald so quickly.

>>2411795
Wow that's pretty terrible.

>>2411833
I think so too, but tell that to the people that *have* to have one. There are even sites that I've seen they were captive bred which is outright bullshit. To my knowledge none have survived in captivity for more than a few months, because that's how long it takes for them to stave.

Luckily I think they've not been imported in the last 5 years or so.

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These Y. diversipes actually grow pretty damn fast for Avics, I wasn't expecting this.

>>2411847
A cute!

Anyone have experience with P. scrofa? They seem like a red form Rose hair but smaller and with none of their moodiness.

>>2411557
Thanks! She just started laying the eggs a hour or two ago, ill keep the thread updated once I mount the parents.
Im making a sort of family tree.

Well there's one upside to this shitty weather.

I can just put the Idolomantis nymphs I just got straight outside until the new lamp for them arrives in two days.

>>2412415
How many did you end up getting? Did you order from Kerf?

>>2412432
Yes I did and I got 4. I was a bit worried because of the weather but they're all completely fine as far as I can tell. It helps that kerf is so close to me. Packet went out yesterday afternoon and arrived today at 11.

I might not end up putting them together with the H. orientalis after all. I think I'm just gonna get another one of those net cages (but bigger) and put them in there separately eventually. The P. guineensis female is getting quite old and once she passes I can finally put her terrarium in it's correct spot, which frees up a big space where I can put the net cage.

>>2412443
>Paket
*package

My brain doesn't work so well in this weather.

>>2412443
I see. I'm considering ordering from there too, though since they only ship within Germany I'd have to make use of a service that gets packages delivered to them, then ships them further to Austria. The potential 3-4 days shipping time under this heat does worry me for L2s. Maybe I could try it with a small amount first.

>>2412448
I would wait, 4 days in this heat is most certainly going to kill them.

You could order now and attach a message to your order or email them directly saying they should only ships when it's less hot (I think the heat is supposed to keep up until saturday, so they would ship next monday).

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>>2412448
oh shit, another Austrian?
Anyway, I know that problem all too well..

Luckily I have a few german friends, I sometimes have them order animals for me. Way safer than what you are considering.


>>2412415
>I can just put the Idolomantis nymphs I just got straight outside
that's what I always do with my Gongylus and Schizocephala

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Second pair mating.

This time I was actually able to watch the courting. I'm definitely going to write a keeping/breeding report on these if I actually manage to get babies.

>>2412536
Best of luck, they really deserve a proper care sheet. The only one I managed to find was by digging in the archives of a dead forum.

https://web.archive.org/web/20141005144918/http://www.mantodeenforum.de/index.php?page=Thread&postID=40901

Guy didn't manage to breed them though.

>>2409901
You realize that species of centipede gets like a foot long and has venomous ice picks attached to its face?

>>2412587
>a foot long
not even close, 8 inch at the absolute max

and E. trigonopodus are pretty chill as far as centipedes go

>>2408523
>Hymenopus
>hymen
>pus

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>>2412605
comedy gold

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>>2412605
hymen - skin, membrane more specifically thin and delicate skin
opus - work, originally, but in this context more likely work of art

so a work of art made of delicate skins, the species name is coronatus, from corona, crown

so a crowning work of art made of delicate skins, quite fitting I reckon

(yes I know, I'm very fun at parties)

>>2411644
My first time on this board
Neat stuff and funny too
Exciting
Great thread
Some amazing creatures and knowledge here
I think I am gonna stick around

>>2412612
I like words
And that's a beauty of a specimen
I just found the name amusing

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>>2412695
I hope you enjoy your stay. It's one of the nicer, quiet corners on this site, and this thread specifically is one of the nicest threads on the board.

>>2412717
School's out dude, this place is a huge fucking mess. Sorry but it's true.

>>2412719
If you learn to ignore the bait (you should) this place is still nice, because unlike other boards there is still good content left if you filter out the trolling and irony.

Also this general specifically definitely isn't a mess.

>>2411709
Welp, saw a good deal on a small P. metallica so I went ahead and ordered it, should be here before the end of the week. Super excited I'll post pics once I get it set up.

>>2412727
Not the guy you replied to but I'm the new guy
I'm excited
Fuck /tv/
/sci/ & /his/ are starting to ware on me too

>>2412729
No need to worry.

P. metallica is the spider that defies all the odds
>beautiful
>critically endangered
>expensive

normally you'd expect a spider like that to be reserved to the most advanced keepers and extremely rare and hard to take care of, and yet
>available
>easy to keep
>somehow probably the best beginner pokie

You should be fine. Give her a nice setup with a hide that stretches all the way to the bottom with a bit of substrate in it, keep it decently humid and feed it with flies and shit (you can give crickets and roaches and such too, but they love flying stuff, it really triggers their hunting instincts). Also somehow my slings, despite having plenty of places to hide and hating light, decide to just sit, completely visible, on the side of the enclosure all day. Maybe you'll be lucky like that too.

I really want some Mantids
are these things hard to take care of?

>>2412818
Depends on the species. Beginner species are pretty easy. Still harder and mor work than beginner tarantulas but overall not that hard.

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>>2411670
P. Ornata is one of the biggest pokies desu

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>>2412882
>Handling a pokie

whoever's in that pic has got some serious stones

>>2412882
then I must have confused something

what was the other specis that only got slightly bigger than metallica? subfusca?

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I recently got a P. Rufilata, and was told it's a male (pic related). What do you guys think?
Yes it's been rehoused into something bigger, and yes I know ventral doesn't work very well, but this guy was pretty positive about it being male

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>>2412979
Full picture

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>have damon diadema 18 months
>she's probably like 3.5 years old since she was grown when i bought her
>rehomed her to 10 gal aquarium.
>pest control sprays apt, but i take her to a friend's house for 48 hours
>3 days back at the house, 6 days in big aquarium, she's just standing on wall with her palps touching the dirt, not moving
fuck. so many things could have made her sick but I'm pretty sure she's a goner.

>>2413072
:( sorry man. I hope she pulls through.

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Jesus, it's terrifying how much isopods eat. I have a colony of about fifteen adults and hundred or so babies and they're eating a full leaf of lettuce and about half a spoon full of kibble a day. I dropped in a few dead crickets I had left over and came back a couple hours later and they're completely gone.

>>2412979
>>2412981
Well there's a reason people say ventral sexing is unreliable, because it so. Sorry man, I really can't tell from these pictures. And anyone that claims that he can is full of shit.

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Another molt, this time quite expected though.

She stretch

>>2413094
>we require more minerals

they might be a bit short on protein if they devour crickets like that, have you tried giving them some extra? I'd recommned dried Gammarus

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Heterochaetas are enjoying the sun as well now.

>tfw you can sit in the sunshine all day, without predators or parasites, a nice relaxing breeze and lots of tasty flies that are also full of sugar water and honey

living the life

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Wee, my Tapinoma Sessile queen had her first nanitic worker eclose. I thought the regular workers are tiny - I don't think I have a camera good enough to even have the little thing show up.

Now to wait until there are about 20 of the little women, and then toss them into the outworld to forage for fun and profit.

Have a bull ant, for shits and giggles.

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Last Metallyticus female has mated.


And now we wait.

Guys how do I know if my tarantula had a bad molt? After he molted 2 days ago he has been just sitting there with his legs curled under his body. I'm starting to get worried.

>>2413435
a bad molt means the tarantula lost legs, pedipals or something else went obviously wrong

it takes up to a week for them to harden up too, so until then they can't and won't do much

try giving her some water if you're worried

>>2413435
As long as there is water near just leave it be. It takes weeks for the skeleton fully hardens. If it had a bad molt and died you will see mold in a couple days and you'll know it's dead that way

>>2413142
If i remember correctly, some pokies can be very accurately be sexed ventrally

>>2413226
The kibble contains some protein, but probably not enough from the looks of it. I'll probably just start throwing them some crickets from time to time. Still, they ate four crickets in less than three hours. They're insatiable beasts.

>>2413316
Congrats. As a warning from another T. sessile owner, you'll probably have a hard time getting them out of the test tube once the colony gets going. They like tight nest spaces, heat, moisture, and aren't very sensitive to light. I'd be prepared to just leave the test tube in the outworld for some time.

>>2412536
ASS TO ASSS!!!

>>2413708
Good to know, thanks. And if they want to linger in the outworld, that's fine, but I've got a nifty and massively overpriced Hybrid nest here that I hope they'll move into eventually.
Out of curiosity, what do you feed them with? I mean, I've got feeder worms, and carbs are easily supplied, I'm just looking at other options.

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Just shipped her home today.

Godspeed, little Felicia

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So I ordered an ooth online a few weeks ago and it has just arrived today. Clearly it isn't in the best of conditions and has mold growing on it, will it still hatch?

>>2414408
They're pretty tough. You could try getting the mold off with a brush or something.

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>>2414417
Thanks, that's definitely comforting to hear, aside from the mold, it looks kind of small and dried up, it's a sphodromantis ooth by the way.

My largest hive just started washboarding today. Not in huge numbers, just 20 or so gently rocking back and forth. They requeened recently. Nectar flow was on, maybe it's ending? Not sure what's going on, seems no one has any sure idea why they do it.

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>>2414004
Probably biggest dietary preference I've noticed is that they really prefer liquids over solids. That goes for carbs and protein. So basically stick to sugar water and make sure any feeders are still fresh and juicy when you feed them. They'll also take bits of raw meat if it's still moist. Mine actually developed a neat habit with raw meat. After it dries, they'll store it in the nest for a while, and then when they get hungry again they'll take it to their water test tube and remoisten it. They're clever little girls.

>>2414445
I've never seen it myself but yeah no one seems to know the purpose. My bet is that it's just a hive entrance hygene thing.

New poster here. Three questions.

1. My 5-6" Phormictopus cancerides has refused every roach I have put in her cage since I got her back in March. The store owner told me they had been feeding her baby mice, but others told me it should be accepting roaches. Should I be concerned?

2. My 7" S. subspinipes hasn't molted since I got it late last year, is it going to be due soon?

3. My Desert Hairy Scorpion has swollen up so much after it's last meal that I think it's gravid, but the seller didn't tell me that it was. Am I just lucky or is it from the roach that I fed it?

Thanks.

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>>2413072
>>2413076
Update. Bitch is fine now.

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>>2414587
1. Tarantulas sometimes refuse food
check your care parameters and the housing
Also, yes, she should be accepting roaches, don't feed her mammals (at least only occasionally)

2. can't say, nothing to be concerned of in my opinion..
Just be sure he has enough/the right substrate to make burrows.

3. pics please, but I'm almost certain it's from eating


Also, fuck yes, I finally found a Pair of X. immanis slings, they should arrive next week

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>>2414622
Here's a pic. What size tank should the tarantula be in? It usually just sits on top of it's hide.

>>2412882
Wait. I thought spiders have 8 legs. This Lil nigga gots 10. I know two are palps, but I thought those were counted as legs.

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>>2414627
palps are not legs

Pedi - foot
Palp - feel/probe/hand

In other words, a feeling foot hand. They are not considered legs on account of differing number of segmens.

>>2414625
Looks pretty damn fat, but could still just be from the food. I'd let that liggle guy slim down for a while.

>What size tank should the tarantula be in? It usually just sits on top of it's hide.
Around 3x legspan for length and width and 2x legspan for height (+substrate of course).

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>>2414625
substrate doesn't look right, Desert hairies need a really high substrate. They burrow a lot and build extensive tunnels.

so a sand ans clay/loam mix would be better

boy, i gave milo some of that brocolli i got from the food truck and he just LOVES it

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So do you guys reckon this shrivelled up little piece of shit will hatch or nah?

>>2414722
Holy shit that's an amblypygid and a half. Beautiful copper colour there, what's the genus? Puts Damon sp. to shame.

>>2414794
I'd give it some time yet
Hope for the best, expect the worst.

>>2408658
>>2408825
I've seen ONE youtuber have a larvae of a golden Hercules beetle. I havent seen the larger species full grown as a pet EVER and it's unfortunate because it's such an amazing insect.

>>2409901
I would be MUCH more concerned about the animals getting hurt by a large Scolopendra centipede. Whether it be a reptile or a mammal, centipedes consistently win in fights against rodents and large snakes in the wild. >>2409916
This. What the fuck do you mean? Are all your animals in one container or something and so all of them need to be the same size and strength?

>>2412593
S. Gigantea has been found at 10-12 inches

>>2412612
That was a nice explanation, and yes, that species is easily one of the most beautiful animals currently living

>>2414471
Well that makes things easy. The house usually has raw meats of some such lying around, and we have honey and water aplenty.

I need to actually finish the outworld here soon. I need to pour the grout still, been putting it off.

>>2414696
Ugh, I have it in a too-small tank then, but I cannot fit another 10 gallon in my room. I guess I have to put it in the basement.
>>2414722
It's sand/coconut fiber right now.

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>>2414805
Heterophrynus sp.
But this specimen is only 14 months old now. They get much bigger than that.

will try to mate them this weekend
here's another pic of the female

>>2414861
Yeah, and that isn't a S. gigantea. It's an E. trigonopodus and they don't get that large.

What is so hard to understand about that?


>>2414879
Just awesome. Hope the mating goes well. I would totally buy a few of the babies from you if you decide to sell them btw.

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>>2408076
Does anyone even remember when African Honey Bees were the big scary bug? Pepsis Heros and Big Jap Hornet took it's place and I'm fine with it

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>>2414917
I'm talking about centipedes in general, and if you think because something is """"only"""" 8 inches it isn't highly venomous and dangerous you're off.
E. Trigonopodus is fucking crazy and would easily wreck a reptile or small mammal. Hell, it could send a large human into fits of pain.

>>2414932
>highly venomous
centipede venom causes no systemic damage of any kind, it's just extremelys painful. For you.

>E. Trigonopodus is fucking crazy
No, they're calm and shy. This is why I recommend this species for beginners over all others.

>Hell, it could send a large human into fits of pain.
To get one of these to bite you'd have to do something extremly stupid, like picking one up or squeezing one.

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>>2414917
>would totally buy a few of the babies from you if you decide to sell them btw.
if the maiting is successful, I should have a few available in fall or early winter

but let's see how it goes

>>2414879
Every time I look at these things, I am both terrified and fascinated. I know they don't hurt people, but they just look downright mean.

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Hi, I'm new to mantis owning. This is my first mantis. Is something wrong with the right eye?Both eyes looked normal the same yesterday but now one is black and weird looking. Sorry for bad pic

>>2415003
They are actually really easily frightened and shy too. The complete opposite of what you'd expect.

>>2414989
I wish you the best of luck.

Are you the only one trying to breed these in europe? teraristik.com gives me nothing when I search for Heterophrynus, not a single offer.

Also how big do they actually get?

>>2415029
>look like a murder machine out of a fevered nightmare
>but also have a crippling lack of self confidence

That's actually hilarious.

>>2415038
hahah
>>2415031
>Are you the only one trying to breed these in europe?
not the only one, no.. but they are not really available to the public...yet
Same with a few other species I have.This Heterophrynus species is actually undescribed

It takes a while to get them established in the hobby, they breed at a really slow rate and they have not really a great number of babies..
Many people don´t like Amblypygids because they lack the patience and don´t want an animal they can only see at night, but I fucking love them.
They also are not the hardiest of animals (well, maybe D. diadema is)

>Also how big do they actually get?
Well, depends on how long they live. If they produce offspring every year, the´ll reach about twice the size they are now, if they never reproduce and are kept cooler, they may get even bigger

>>2415008
can't quite say if anything is wrong from that picture, though if there is it should not be a big problem unless it's a fungal infection, but those usually don't start in the eyes

also it's still a very young mantis, they can regenerate quite a lot when they're young

>>2415046
>they breed at a really slow rate and they have not really a great number of babies..
If there is demand though you could actually ask quite high prices for them because of that.
I'm not sure how much demand there is though. Maybe I'm just weird but to me Amblybygids are among THE most interesting inverts you can keep. Their behaviors are amazing.

>Many people don´t like Amblypygids because they lack the patience and don´t want an animal they can only see at night
Well they should to what I do and put red LEDs above their enclosures. That really made me appreciate them 10 times more.

>They also are not the hardiest of animals
How hard to keep are they actually? For someone with plenty of invert experience I mean (you probably know who I am).

>If they produce offspring every year, the´ll reach about twice the size they are now
That's amazing. They need quite a lot of room I suppose.

>>2414622
>Also, fuck yes, I finally found a Pair of X. immanis slings, they should arrive next week
Shit dude, nice.

How much did you pay?

>>2415049
Thank you, that's good to hear.

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>>2414978
>baneposting

you refuted me but I liked how you did it. Hats off

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>>2415008
Wait until its next molt and take a better picture

One of my mantises has remarkably fatter and more connected (with the thorax) wing pads than the others of its species, is that a sign that it's going to molt?

They're all just about due for one, but I only noticed this for the first time and I'm concerned with their health.

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>>2415067
>Maybe I'm just weird but to me Amblybygids are among THE most interesting inverts you can keep. Their behaviors are amazing.
I's not only you. They're my favorite inverts, no doubt

>>2415067
>How hard to keep are they actually?
I don't think you'll have any real problems with this exact species.
Their only problem is feeding, they are really finicky eaters...

>They need quite a lot of room I suppose.
yes, because of the extremely long limbs, they need a lot of space while molting. They also need a lot more space than similarly sized Amblypygids (body size)

Oh, and I have only two S. denticulata left, they're I3 tho, so let's hope for the best. They're now eating without a problem.


>>2415095
120€ for 1.1. they are in i4
don't know if that's too expensive, but I was looking for a long time to find a sexed pair

>>2415377
fat wing buds are a sign of a very close molting, yes

Whats something that would eat a lot of crickets, I only have a finders range scorpion (Urodacus elongatus) that eats on average 3 a week, this leaves me with a lot of wasted crickets. I have vivariums up to 7-20 gallons and some spare heat lamps.

>>2415558
Assassin Bugs
Either Platymeris sp. or Psytalla sp.

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Hey guys I'm pretty certain my asian forest scorpion is pregnant, she's really fat and not from feeding. Her membrane on her sides is stretched a lot and looks pregnant but she is young so I'm wondering if it is simply a premolt

pic related looks almost identical

>>2415560
This. A decently sized colony of assassins gobbles up any and all food like there's no tomorrow.

Start with at least 10 though, or it will take too long to get going.

>>2415399
>they are really finicky eaters...
Scared of prey?

Due to having a lot of delicate mantids I have a bunch of quite delicate food as well, Thermobias, flies of different sizes, Panchlora nivea and others. Have you tried any of those instead of crickets?

>They also need a lot more space than similarly sized Amblypygids (body size)
How big for one would you say? If it actually works with the babies, and if you actually would give me some I'd put them in a very practical setup for better control and breeding success (like my Metallyticus), to hopefully establish them in the hobby. That species is too spectacular to die out.

>I have only two S. denticulata left, they're I3
Wow that sucks. Do you know what happened exactly?
You don't hav any more adults either, right?
Chances of them being a pair are...slim. Damn.

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>>2412719
>>2412734
This general is the best general but /an/ is full of
>le cute silly animal meme XD *blocks ur path*

I wish this site had /entomology/ and /herpetology/ but it would get flooded with endless cancer

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>>2414632
>>2414627
>I thought spiders have 8 legs. This Lil nigga gots 10. I know two are palps, but I thought those were counted as legs.

Do you antennae count as legs, anon? That's the functionality of pedipalps, not to mention working as a sex organ in males. They carry spermatophores

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>>2415747
Think*

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>>2415747
They are however, very clearly, reduced legs, unlike Myriapod or Crustacean antenna, which are so strongly modified that their limb origin was very difficult to even correctly establish (see Panganiban, Grace, et al 1997 and Minelli 2003).

It an easy mistake to make for someone that doesn't know much about arthropods, so don't wave your imaginary knowledge dick at someone that had an honest question. This only serves to drive people away.

Yes, I am aware of the irony of this post.

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>>2415747
Well, do you count antenniform legs as antenna? Because that's their functionality.

>smug anime girl.jpg

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Why didn't beetle rearing ever take off in the rest of the world like it did in Japan? Beetles are fucking awesome.

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>>2415760
I thought the post was worded funny and I couldnt help myself

>>2415765
>Well, do you count antenniform legs as antenna
>antenniform legs
>legs

Pedipalps are not legs, antenniform legs are legs. This is not difficult

>>2415774
Pedipalps are modified legs that are used as antenna
Antennifrom legs are modified legs that are used as antenna
Spinnerets are modified legs that are used to excrete silk

The line you are drawing between these and why you count one modification of a leg as something else and not the other is completely arbitray and has nothing to do with how recent the modification is or how it came to be ontogenetically.

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>>2415630
>Scared of prey?
yes
They like crickets, but I fucking hate these creatures, I do not want them in my house... too many bad experiences and so on..
I feed them small roaches (O. deusta) and sometimes other species as well as flies. The male also often takes down subadult locusts, but that's it..
strange, the biggest Amblypygids in my collection (legspan wise), but also the biggest pussies..

>How big for one would you say?
60cm cube. If smaller, they might get bent antenniform legs (doesn't bother them tho..)
And it's important to seperate them after about 4 months.

>Wow that sucks. Do you know what happened exactly?
I have an Idea

>You don't hav any more adults either, right?
right..

>Chances of them being a pair are...slim. Damn.
exactly.. with my luck, they're both male

>>2415774
Holy shit, is that your psychedelicus?

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>>2415791
I wish man, what an amazing species

>>2415788
It's arbitrary what I say, but the recency and functionality of the antenniform is far more 'leg-like' than most of the structures you mentioned

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>>2415817
>recency
>upper carboniferous, 330 MYA

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>expand dong

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>>2415772

Guess most people are too impatient for beetles considering you're keeping their grubs most of the time. Pic related; my first F1 generation of Xylotrupes sumatrensis; took ~8 months from egg to adult beetle, which is pretty short compared to other Dynastinae.

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>>2415820
>comparatively
>functionality
>visually looks like a leg
are you going to tell me the raptorial claws of a mantid are not legs? or that the modified jaws of a centipede are? I guess it all falls into arbitrary territory but I have some preconceived notions about what is a leg and what is not, and I don't see pedipalps as legs, as spiders have eight legs

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>>2415855
>>2415772
Predatory beetles are fairly common and are interesting as a beetle can be
I think flower beetles are kept too, but certainly not as mainstream as others like the tiger beetle

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>>2415892

>Predatory beetles
>common

Not where I live. Carabidae are a rarity and I've seen Tiger beetles only once for sale and never again. Captive bred Carabidae are even less common and when you only buy adult beetles for the sake of keeping adult beetles, you miss out on their development which I find more fascinating than watching a predatory bug hunt smaller bugs.

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>>2415904
Maybe that's your personal story, but online and where I live they are fairly easy to come by. Not to mention that's your opinion on growing beetle vs. predatory beetle.

>>2408076
What species is that first mantis?

>>2415936

Indian Grass Mantis (Schizocephala bicornis)

What kinda centipede's exist in Australia, or more specifically, one's in the "Queensland" area?

It's for I thing i'm writing.

It appears M. splendidus lays its (tiny) ootheca exclusively into very small holes. After the first females searched for a proper place for 3 days, sticking her abdomen in any crevice she could find I took a piece of wood, drilled a bunch of holes of different sizes into it and she immediately layed her first ootheca in one of them.

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Anyone got any cool pictures you took of insects in your area?

I found this green shield beetle in my room the other week. Tried to take a picture of it with my phone and didn't realise I had the flash on and it spooked it and I caught a nice image of it about to fly off.

>>2416278
Fuck you samsung, flipping my images like that.

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>>2416278
>go outside to tend to my plants
>hear a very loud flapping and clicking sound
>fuckisthatnoise.jpg.png
>look around, see a shrub shaking violently
>look closer
>it's a moth flapping its wings as hard as it can
>what the fuck is its problem
>look closer
>Fuck.

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>>2416342
Didnt even know we had mantises in my area. Glad to have them in my garden, though, they'll probably help a lot with pest control.

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>>2416343
RIP flappyboi.

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>>2416255
fucking nice

>>2416278
I don't know if that's cool enough for you, Rosalia alpina

>>2416343
Well to be honest they eat everything, not only pest insects. They don't give a fuck if its a bee, a butterfly or a wasp.

>>2416349
That is extremly cool. One of the prettiest longhorn beetles in my opinion, even compared to tropical ones. Shame we don't them as far north as I am.

>>2416360
going after a wasp seems a bit ballsy. are there any parasitic wasps that go after mantises?

>>2416362
Yes, plenty.

There are Sphecidae that go after mantids and Chalcidoidea and Proctotrupoidea that go after the ootheca.

A mantis can handle a normal wasp, bee, bumblee or even hornet just fine btw, they know what they're doing and these are some of the most common prey they go after in the wild.

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>>2411617
Not that anon, but I'm also really interested in ants. I particually adore Pheidoles, I really love their cherry/brownish colour and how great the morphological diffrences between the different ants in a colony are. What species of Pheidole would be good for a novice?

>>2416430
As far as I know there's not a tremendous difference in care between Pheidole species. I believe most if not all of them have majors and almost all of them are orange to reddish-brown in color. I wouldn't worry too much about collecting a specific species.

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Does anyone know if these dots on my desert millipede are fungus or some kind of parasitic mite? I tried washing it off but it didn't budge. How to fix?

Is there any reason why most of my current batch of flies fails to hatch? They just pop out their heads and then die in the pupa. They haven't been particularly long in the fridge, only 1-2 weeks. Could the heat or low humidity be a problem?

>>2416521
This. The biggest thing is being aware of what temperatures and humidity level they prefer, and whether or not they're fully claustral. If they're not, then you need to make space for the queen to forage during her founding phase.

My T. Sessile queen and her worker need to be relocated to a different tube here soon, there's quite a bit of mold starting to grow on the cotton from all her shit over the past few months. Worried that she'll get too stressed from the move and start freaking out and eating her kids, but it's gotta be done.

>>2416956
same here, m8
I was thinking about that too

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>>2416278
I got this picture of some six spot burnet on the cost of Cornwall in Britain this morning. I caught one on the right emerging from its pupa.

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FUCK.

Missing antenna, discoloration in the head where it would attach, vomit or swelling around the neck, disorientation.

How the hell did this happen? At least the mantis is still strong, but wtf.

>>2417144
Did you feed it crickets?

>>2417151
It got a few grasshopper nymphs, bit that must have been 2 molts ago

>>2417183
Might be a fungal infection then, nothing you can do about it now but wait.

Could be due to poor airflow. How much ventilation does its enclosure have?

>>2417272
It's a 2/3 gallon bucket with a cut out lid with window screen.

There appears to be some mold in the substrate but I didn't think that would do it. Too dry for wild caught isopod cleaners to survive, but moist enough for fatal fungal infections...

I had high hopes for this individual too, it's certainly dead now.

>>2417344
Hmm. That should be enough ventilation for more robust species actually. But of course more ventilation doesn't mean anything if you have it in an area with low airflow and stagnant air.

Also just use paper towels for substrate the next time, I know it looks shitty but it's a lot easier to keep clean and free of mold. You can put the mantis in a nice and decorated enclosure once its adult.

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Who smol spider here?

>>2417962
dassa smol spoode

What species?.

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>>2417982
P. metallica. Hopefully it's a grill

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>>2418044
Nice!

I have two smol metallicas too. Both have molted recently and one is starting to turn ever so slightly blue. The other one was missing a pedipalp when I got it and has now regenrated it, but didn't grow as much and also isn't blue yet. Regenerating that probably too a lot of energy.

>>2418051
Amazing how much they can regenerate, I've read about people nursing limbless T's back to health by basically spoon feeding them.

And thanks, just got him/her today. Can't wait for mine to start getting adult colors, P. metallica is easily one of the prettiest tarantula. I hear they grow pretty quick too.

>>2418056
Mine molt pretty much once a month to month and a half, and they gain a good amount of size each molt. They want it warm for growth like that though, mine are at 75 at nigh and 80 during the day.

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>>2417962
Reportan

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>>2417962
>>2418044
>>2418051
>>2418173
c-CUTE

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>>2417962
I have a smol spoode as well

don't be fooled by the colors, the waterbowl is ""

>>2418179
that was supposed to be 2"

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>>2418173
oh no
what happened to its leg?

>>2418226
It came that way from the breeder. I wasn't about to say no to a cheap red knee.

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>>2418236
are you saying it was cheaper because it had one less red knee?

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>>2418238
What a knee slapper, anon.

Bit of an odd question, but how many newtons of force can a bee withstand without injury?

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>>2417962
My juvie G. pulchra

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Freshly molted dubias actually look pretty neat.

Is there anything like a Hissing Cockroach that can survive cold weather? I really like the idea of a hardy insect that can live on little pieces of scum but the temperature thing is a deal breaker for me.

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Got my Idolomantis nymphs yesterday! One died while trying to molt during transport, another one got through with a slightly crooked arm and the shield being folded on one side, but the other 7 are still L2 and well off. Cute how they wiggle and threat pose when meeting each other.