Description

Rhombodera kirbyi (Timor Shield Mantis) (4th instar) for Sale

Timor Shield Mantis or Rhombodera kirbyi is is one of the biggest Mantids with the adult females reaching approx. 120mm and the male slightly smaller at 100mm.

The Timor Shield Mantis, Rhombodera kirbyi, is a strikingly fierce looking mantis. They vary in colouration from leafy green to a mix of green and mustard yellow brown.

They are typical a green or brown coloured Mantis and have an added shield on the neck – hence the name. However as nymphs they don’t have a shield but it slowly grows on each shed until reaching adult size.

Rhombodera is a genus of praying mantises native to Asia and has common names such as shield mantis, hood mantis (or hooded mantis), and leaf mantis (or leafy mantis) because of their extended, leaf-like thoraxes.

The Timor Shield Mantis is part of the Rhombodera genus of mantis which contains many different species below it. All specimens in this genus are large, native throughout Asia, and are known to possess some kind of shield or extended leaf-shaped thorax.

After mating males often have to make a quick retreat as cannibalism is common for females when she will lay up to 200 eggs in an oothecae (egg case) with as many as 6 of these cases. The young hatch after 6 to 8 weeks.

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