Blepharopsis
mendica mendica
general
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breeding
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Name latin Blepharopsis mendica mendica
english Devil Flower Mantis
IGM-Number 9
Systematics

Systematics

All data for the systematics is taken from Reinhard Ehrmann's book "Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" (Mantodea - Praying mantids of the world).

More about this book can be found in the section literature at this page.

Super-Order Dictyoptera
Order Mantodea
Family Empusidae
Subfamily Blepharodinae
Tribe Empusini
First Description Author FABRICIUS
Year 1775
Size

Quotation of Size

The given size is measured from the head to the end of the abdomen, without the wings.

Male ca. 5,5cm
Female ca. 5cm- 6cm
Lifespan

Quotation of the Lifespan

The lifespan is given in month and has the following definition:

overall-age ("time between hatching and imago" + "lifespan after the last molting")

Example: 9 (2 + 7) month lifespan
overall-age = 9 month
time between hatching and imago = 2 month
lifespan after the last molting = 7 month

Male ca. 6.5 (5 + 1.5) months
Female ca. 11 (5 + 6) months
Sexing

Sexing

Morphologically differences between male and female.

Male L4 and above: only by counting the abdominal appendages at the bottom of the abdomen (6 appendages)
adult: douple comped antennas, thin body
Female L4 and above: only by counting the abdominal appendages at the bottom of the abdomen (5 appendages)
adult: big abdomen, normal and short antennas
Spreading

Spreading

For a better overview, only whole countries are listed for the quotation of spreading, even if a species can only be found in a small part of that country.

All data for the spreading is taken from Reinhard Ehrmann's book "Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" (Mantodea - Praying mantids of the world).
More about this book can be found in the section literature at this page.

At the menu "Spreading" for each country only the genus but the species is printed (Exception: on this site described species).

North-Africa, South-West-Asia and Europe (Turkey and Canary Islands)
The description is based on mantids of the following origin:
Egypt
Africa
Africa
Asia
Asia
Europe
Europe
Habitat bushes and thorny bushes
hot, dry and sunny places
Aggressiveness low
Hint very good hunters, they catch flying insects very good.
Make sure that the ventilation is quite well. Blepharopsis likes bright and hot places.

Mantids from the Canary Islands needs a break when they are older nymphs. Just lower the temperatures (15°C- 20°C). You can find the special periods and time at temperature -diagramms in the web.

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