Species:

Sphodromantis lineola

Common Names: 

African Lined Mantis, Giant African Mantis

Distribution: 

Western and Central Africa.

Natrual Habitat: 

Forest and Savanna Thickets

Captive Housing:

General rule of 3 x the length of the mantid for height and 2 x the length for width, small nymphs (1st - 3rd instar) do well in 1/2 pint plastic cups with mesh/netting top, moving onto pint cups, sweet jars or other similar sized containers as it grows, ensure container has adequate ventilation.Furnish the base of the container with a moisture retaining substrate such as Vermiculite, peat/Vermiculite mix or best yet ordinary kitchen roll. A single twig placed diagonally is the furnishing your mantid will need to get from bottom of the container to the top, if you have more room fake/live plants can be added but the general is not to overcrowd the container with furnishings as they can impede moulting and cause more harm than good in the way of the mantid being caught by the funishings while moulting, in most cases the mantid will spend most of its time at the highest point of the enclousure (the roof) from which it will moult hence the importance of a mesh/net top to aid the mantid in getting a good foothold.It's best not to keep the mantid in too large a container as these are ambush predators and will generally wait for the food to come to them, large enclousures will decrease the frequency of predator coming into contact with the prey.

Temperature:

20-30C daytime, 20C is considered as room temperature, so in most cases no extra heating is needed. A night time drop of a few degrees is considered beneficial for the mantid. The warmer the mantid is kept the higher its metabolism, this coupled with increased feeding will cause the mantid to grow quicker than at a cooler temperature with less feeding.

Humidity:

Around 60% humidity, ensure substrate is slightly damp at all times, mist when needed generally every/every other day.

Feeding:

Fruitflies (Drosphilia hydei) from 1st instar, increase the size of prey as the mantid grows, will take just about anything bluebottle flies, locust, roaches. Moulting: Mantids grow by shedding (ecdysis) their skin, a newly hatched nymph is known as 1st instar and after each subsquent moult moves up an instar. Signs of a imminent moult are a period of in activity, fasting, adopting a moulting postion and in sub-adult nymphs the swelling of the wingbuds, normally one or all of these signs will be noticed but they can at times take us by surprise.Ensure any uneaten food is removed especially locusts, crickets and roaches as the mantid can be vunerable when nearing, during and after a moult, either by knocking the mantid midmoult or the mantid becoming the prey itself.

"Tolerance" Factor:

Keep individually, very cannabalistic!!

Adult Size:

Females 70-80mmMales 60-75mmBreeding:Sexual Dimorphism: can be easily sexed from 3rd instar onwards!Females: 6 abdominal segments. Males: 7 abdominal segments.Adult Females: Larger and bulkier than males, wing tips end at tip of abdomen. Adult Males: Slender, wing tips extend about 10mm past tip of abdomen generally smaller in length than the females.

Mating:

Sexual maturity generally 5-6 weeks after reaching adulthood, they can be mated earlier but the chances of unsuccessful matings and the female attacking the male are significantly increased.

Laying:

Females will in most cases start lay their 1st ootheca after 6 weeks of being adult, with intervals of between 2-4 weeks for each subsequent ooth dependant on frequency of feeding and temperatureIncubation: Approx 6 weeks (temperature dependent) mist incubation container lightly every/every other day, do not allow to dry out.

Hatching:

Approx 150 nymphs depending on ootheca size and incubation. 1st instars (hatchlings) approx 7mm insize, they will not need feeding till 3 days after hatching but will benefit from a daily light mist with warm water to allow them to drink, they will take D. hydei fruitflies as 1st instars. These nymphs can be very cannabalistic from a very early age if food is in short supply.Additional Note: S. lineola are very well suited as a starter mantid due to their hardy nature, handlablility and ease of breeding.As with most mantid species it is best to purchase a nymph of at least 2nd/3rd instar to increase its and your chances of raising it, the higher the instar the more stable it should be.