Meet the animals!
Chinese Flower Mantis
(Creobroter gemmatus)
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This is Mulan, and she is teeny tiny but very brave and adventurous. She will tackle prey as large as herself, and can catch fruit flies one in each hand at the same time! (The double-snatch technique!) When she first came out of her travel box she was the size of a mosquito, but immediately started a fight with my thumb! She then changed her mind and drank a drop of water I put on it. She is a real character.
She has already shed her skin and is developing green stripes and spots. She will be stunningly beautiful as an adult, even more than an orchid mantis in my opinion... Fascinating fact: they have incredible eyesight, and she delighted my group of Frazoo children by turning her head and staring at every single one of them in turn... Ps. Newsflash...she's nearly full grown... |