Species: Gongylus gongylodes

Common Names: Violin Mantis, Wandering Violin Mantis, Indian Rose Mantis

Distribution: India, Sri-Lanka, Thailand.

Natrual Habitat: Dry Grassland.

Captive Housing: General rule of 3 x the length of the mantid for height and 2 x the length for width, these mantids do best in all net cages as they are unable to grip smooth surfaces (a characteristic of all Empusidae). Polystyrene box type cages also works quite well as the mantids are able to grip the polystyrene surfaces however you most ensure that the enclousure is very well ventilated, these mantids originate from hot and arid areas and don't do well in humid conditions, very well ventilated enclousures will help in keeping the humidity down
Furnish the base of the container with a substrate such as Vermiculite, peat/vermiculite mix, sand or best yet ordinary kitchen roll.
A single twig placed diagonally is the furnishing your mantid will need 2 get from bottom of the container to the top, thin Birch or willow twigs work very well but the general rule 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 it's 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: 30C-40C daytime, these temperatures are easily obtained by using a normal 40-60W incandestant light bulb (Desk lamps are Ideal) above the enclousure, they also benefit from basking under the lamp. Do not worry about the drop in temperature during the night when lights are out and is in fact beneficial. 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 40% humidity, these mantids are best kept in hot dry conditions so they need for misting is not strictly necessary, however a very light mist in the early morning will replicate the formation of dew.


Feeding: Fruitflies (Drosphilia hydei) from 1st instar, increase the size of prey as the mantid grows, Feed flying type foods only! in the form of house flies, green bottles, bluebottles, moths etc.. on the rare occasion they will take locusts and roaches but these should not be used as a regular food source as the mantid matures crawling foods are more than likely to be ignored. Important. Do not offer G. gongylodes crickets like most other Empusa species these can have fatal results for the mantid and can also cause problems with ootheca production.

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 Locust 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: These mantids are very tolerant towards each other, even at higher instars as long as food is plentyful and are probabley one of the most "Communal" Species, however splitting the sexes is preferable. It is not recommended to keep this species communally if you only have a small number of nymphs.

Adult Size:

Females 80-95mm
Males 75-85mm


Breeding:

Sexual Diamorphism: can be sexed from 3rd instar onwards, due to the presence of a very small "hook" on the last abdominal segment of the male, this "hook" is absent in females
Females: 5 abdominal segments.
Males: 6 abdominal segments. From 5th instar the base of the antenne start to thicken, and become thicker and "feathery" after each subsequent moult.
Adult Females: Larger and bulkier than males, with "flat" wide abdomen, wing tips end about 10mm before tip of abdomen. Absence of "feathery" antenne
Adult Males: Slender, wing tips extend about 10mm past tip of abdomen.
Thick feathery antenne. Males are extremley good flyers.

Mating: Sexual maturity occurs as early as 2 weeks after reaching adulthood although it is best to wait 3-4 weeks before introductions unless kept in a mixed gender community, 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 3-4 weeks of being adult, with intervals of around 5-10 days for each subsequent ooth dependant on frequency of feeding and temperature.
8+ oothca can be laid during the females adult lifetime.
The female becomes very restless before laying and can often be seen wandering the enclousure in search of a site to lay.


Incubation: Approx 4-6 weeks (temperature dependent) mist incubation chamber very lightly every other day, incubation temperature around 30-40C. (I have had successful hatches without misting the ooths at all during incubation)

Hatching: Approx 15-50 nymphs.
1st instars (hatchlings) approx 10mm in size, they will not need feeding till 3 days after hatching but will benefit from a daily very light mist with warm water to allow them to drink, they will take D. hydei fruitflies as 1st instars and will beable to handle houseflies at 2nd instar. Very low hatchling/1st instar mortality rates.

Additional Note: This stunning mantis is not suit to people starting out in the hobby due to conditions needed to successfully raise them, however with proper care and feeding they are a very rewarding species.


(Picture: 1st Instar G. gongylodes)


(Picture: 4th instar G. gongylodes)


(Picture: Sub-adult male G. gongylodes)



(Picture: Adult Female G. gongylodes)