1978] 
Robinson & Robinson — Acanthops falcata 
245 
depended on the size of the crickets which were available. A. falcata 
will reach maturity entirely on a diet of Drosophila, but the 
developmental period is longer, and the adults that we raised on this 
diet were abnormally small (Robinson, B. & M. H. Robinson, in 
prep.). To make the crickets easier to handle, they too were placed 
in a freezer for a short time, or stored in a refrigerator before being 
dropped into the cages from forceps. Uneaten crickets left in cages 
will eat ecdysing mantids or oothecae. The former is not a serious 
problem with A. falcata which molts during the day, as it is with 
species which molt at night, or whose molting time is longer. We 
have raised two other species of mantid, Phyllovates chlorophaea 
(see below) and Chaerododis rhombicollis (see Robinson 1969). 
Both these species were vulnerable to cricket attack for about two 
hours during each molt, which takes place at night. We had to 
remove live crickets from their cages at the end of each day. 
In the humid tropics drinking water does not seem to be necessary 
for mantids that are fed daily. However, when they were transferred 
to the mating cages containing wet plants, they were observed to 
drink, males more than females. In air-conditioned or heated 
laboratories, it may prove necessary to supply moisture. As de- 
scribed above, cotton balls can be inserted into holes in the lids of 
the cages. These can be sprayed to keep them moist. Care should be 
taken that water does not form in droplets in the cages of first instar 
nymphs, as they will not be able to escape from the surface tension. 
We always use rainwater rather than tap water for spraying insects 
or providing moisture in cages. 
CAGES AND CULTURE TECHNIQUES SUITABLE FOR 
OTHER ARTHROPODS. 
We have also raised several other species of mantids successfully, 
using the above methods for small species. For larger species we 
used these techniques for early instars adapting them as necessary as 
the mantids grew too large for the cages. Phyllovates chlorophaea is 
a large, long-legged mantid, which we have raised successfully. For 
this large insect 6oz shot glasses were suitable until the 4th-5th 
instar. This species hangs below a leaf rather than from a twig. In 
order to give it a foothold on the lid of the cage, we attached a piece 
of masking tape, approx. 3cm - 5cm to the undersurface. The cages 
that we used for later instars and adults are adaptations of 
lepidoptera rearing cages, designed by R. Silberglied and A. Aiello. 
