A huge number of cases of mimicry are known in nature: some disguise themselves as protection, the second in order to sneak up on their victim. So, an insect that looks like a leaf can be either a butterfly that is hiding, or a praying mantis that is waiting for its prey. But there is an insect that strikes with its appearance and leaves few indifferent - this is an orchid mantis. And as the name implies, it very much resembles one of the most beautiful flowers - an orchid.
Description of appearance and lifestyle
Orchid Mantis (lat.Hymenopus coronatus) - an insect that can be found in Indonesia and Malaysia. In order for them to feel good, they need high humidity in the range of 80-90%. So the climate of these countries suits them perfectly.
Unlike its brethren, orchid mantis is a unique predator. After all, he, sitting in an ambush, does not need flowers, he mimics himself into a flower and waits for the victim to come to him to pollinate such beauty. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish, the flower and orchid mantis are so similar, the photo is a confirmation of this.
What does an orchid mantis look like? Its description is this: the main color is white, which can be combined with various shades, ranging from pink to bright purple. Moreover, the shade depends on the color of the orchid flowers surrounding the mantis. But it only becomes similar in color and shape, becoming invisible to insects flying around - bees, butterflies, moths and dragonflies, flies and bees. Zoologists indicate about 13 species of orchids that an insect can mimic.
The female is much larger than the male. Dimensions are respectively 7-8 cm and 3-4. The significant difference.
By its nature, it is a very aggressive insect, and is ready to eat everything that moves next to it. And he is not afraid of opponents who exceed the mantis in size more than twice.
Propagation Features
Within seven days, the female mantis is ready to mate. The male takes off, lands on the female, and they copulate. Unlike ordinary mantis, the female orchid does not eat her partner, as the male is too agile for her and small in size.
After fertilization, the female can postpone from 3 to 5 special bags, of which 40-70 larvae from each will subsequently appear. Nymphs (namely, the so-called larvae) are painted in red or black and in appearance resemble poisonous insects living in those places, so predators are not afraid of them.
Development after fertilization
After contact with the male, the female needs from several days to several weeks of time in order to lay bags with eggs. They are painted white and are 3-5 cm long. High humidity and a temperature of 30 ° C are required for egg maturation.
Newborns are painted black or red, after the first molt it becomes white and then pink (during the next molt).
Captivity
It is not easy to keep the mantis orchid in captivity, caring for it is complicated and only a person who already has experience in keeping insects in the terrarium can do it. But the game is worth the candle.
In the terrarium, where the orchid mantis is kept, the humidity should be constantly at 90%, otherwise the insects will quickly die. Temperature conditions: during the day - 25-30 ° C, at night - 20 ° C. The terrarium is necessarily decorated with an orchid, real or artificial, although another large flower will do.
If you plan not only to keep these beauties, but also to breed them, then males should be kept separately from females at a lower temperature and less should be fed. This is due to their faster puberty. Males simply may not live up to the female’s readiness for mating.
Before you join a couple in the terrarium, carefully feed the female (you never know, suddenly the bride wakes up an appetite, and she just eats the groom) and just do not bother them. Continue to feed the mantis during the mating season. If mating does not occur, then it is not time, just drop the female for a few days and try again. Of course, you can try to help the male by landing him on the back of the female, but this task is not easy because of the small size of the males and their elusiveness.
After fertilization, continue to maintain humidity and temperature, and after a while you will rejoice at the appearance of healthy offspring. After all, orchid mantises, unfortunately, do not live long.