Trehopr1 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 6:26 am A splendid example and the forelegs being pulled out in front is a nice touch.

Thanks, Trehopr1. Next time I'll try to spread the hind legs as well.
Your specimens are fantastic!

Chuck and kevinkk,
This is almost certainly an Arizona mantis - Stagmomantis limbata:
there are dark marks on tegmina, while dark stripes on the dorsal side
of the abdomen (characteristic of S.californica) are absent.
Thank you both as always!

Found this female in my backyard (Encinitas, California).
We are supposed to have a few local species, M.religiosa, and a Chinese mantis.
Can anyone tell the species? ?

Found this guy in my backyard. It is about 25 mm long. I guess
this is a California common scorpion (Paruroctonus silvestrii).
Please confirm, or correct me - I know nothing about scorpions.
The location is Encinitas, California.

kevinkk and Chuck,
The proboscis was folded when the moth eclosed
(at least when I found it). I did not attempt to feed it.
The moth unfolded its "tongue" when I put it in the jar with
ethyl acetate.

Congratulations! Now, how long to sit and wait? Update: a few more observations on the life (and death) of a very trivial species: M. sexta. Answering Chuck's question, the larva burrowed on 9/10 the pupa was put into enclosure cage on 9/22, and the lep eclosed on 10/13.  I could not figure out wha...

Adam and kevinkk,
Thank you both for the advice regarding butterfly feeding!
As I said, I've never tried to get eggs from
Papilionidae. I am going to try again.

My “elementary school project" was a disaster: the female died after two days in the enclosure, and no eggs have been laid. Just one question: it was recommended by palikan to “feed the female”. I put a dish with rotten fruits in the cage, it doesn’t look like she was attracted to the food. Wha...

Thanks to everyone who replied: this was really helpful!
I'll update you guys in a couple of days.

Just netted a huge ovipositing female on the orange tree in my backyard. I'd like to get some eggs for rearing. Here is my setup (see the pic): a standard cage with two orange branches, outdoors. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any young leaves at this time of the year. Is this a problem? I neve...

This male landed on the screen on my patio's door about
a week ago, when I was celebrating my birthday.
I seldom see them in my area, so it was a pleasant surprise.
My wife said it was certainly the spirit of my grandfather,
who was inordinately fond of Mantidae.

Interestingly, I've actually noticed there seem to usually be more Manduca sexta/quinquemaculatus caterpillars on jalapeno and other hot peppers than on bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. Possibly due to less vertebrate predation? I found lots of M. sexta eggs and young larvae on the t...

Chuck wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:00 pm Congratulations! Now, how long to sit and wait?

Approximately 18 days, according to Wikipedia. I guess it will not overwinter.

Sweet dreams!

58chevy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 6:41 pm I feel sorry for the bird that eats that caterpillar.

Capsaicin affects only mammals, not birds.

I think a little levity, while apparently intended as humor shouldn't be taken too seriously. The number of things that offend me is impractical to list, so- it's just one of those things we have to deal with and assess at the time. I had a chance to read the deleted remark, and it was not well exp...

Dissection of "genitalia" is a common practice in entomology. If some members of this forum are offended by the use of this word, so be it. I don't like offensive language either. But they should become more familiar with the scientific literature. Actually, this is not about the term &qu...

I did not mean to offend anyone with my "tasteless remark".
Sorry, if that happened unintentionally.