Morphology,Biology And Breeding Technology Of Three Mantises

Praying mantis is an important resource insect that integrates medicinal value,edible value,ornamental value and biological control value.The egg sheaths produced by the praying mantis are collectively referred to as “Sanpiaoxiao” in China,which is a traditional Chinese medicinal material for the treatment of infantile enuresis,nocturnal emission and nourishing the kidney and yang;the adult insect body can be used as medicine,and because of its rich nutrition,it is edible;some species are brightly colored and peculiar in appearance.Pets are kept or used for viewing;nymphs and adults can be natural enemies of pest biological control due to their predatory habits.Preliminary studies have confirmed that the traditional Chinese medicinal materials Sanpiaoxiao,including Tuanpiaoxiao,Changpiaoxiao and Heipiaoxiao are the eggs of the Tenodera sinensis(Saussure),1842,Tenodera angustipennis(Saussure),1842 and Hierodula membranacea(Burmeister),1838.Aiming at the problems existing in the morphology,biology and breeding technology of the above three kinds of praying mantis.Combing with field investigation and collection and indoor breeding observation,this research carried out in-depth comparative morphology,biological learning and artificial breeding technology research,the main research results as follows:1.Comparative morphological study(1)The description of the morphological characteristics of the three mantis species:The morphological characteristics(including the characteristics of male genitalia)of the eggs,egg sheaths(Piaoxiao),nymphs,and adults of the three mantis species(including the characteristics of the male genitalia)were observed and described in detail and providing 9 feature photos.The main distinguishing characteristics of T.sinensis are as follows.The eggs are light yellow,shaped like rice,arranged in a fan shape in the egg sheath;the egg sheath is Tuan Piao-xiao,round,soft and fluffy,brown;the nymph is tender yellow when it is newly hatched,to the last instar nymphs gradually turn brown or green;the left and right forefoot femoral joints of T.sinensis have 15 internal spines,the 1 to 12 spines are arranged alternately with one small and one large,and the last 3 spines are arranged with two small and one large;the forefoot tibia has inside and outside two rows of spines,9 outer spines on forefoot,14 inner spines;male adult body length is74.29 mm,pronotum and dorsal plate 22.63 mm,head shell width is about 8.79 mm,female adult body length is about 75.02 mm,pronotum and dorsal plate approximate24.62 mm,head shell width 8.79 mm;the male genitalia phallus PP is extended and both sides are clearly toothed,with a transparent membrane protruding like a penis at the end;the lower phallus leaves are bent 45 degrees to the right,and the end is pointed;The upper right penis and leaf RE has obvious finger-like protrusions;the ends of the lower reproductive plate are concave and then raised.The main distinguishing characteristics of T.angustipennis are as follows.The egg is yellow and transparent,oblong,arranged in a "fan" in the egg sheath;the egg sheath is Chang Piao-xiao type with a ridge in the middle,slightly concave on both sides,and the ridge part is brown,the concave part is black;when the nymphs just hatch,the tender yellow gradually turns to brown until the last instar nymphs turn green or brown;the right and left forefoot femurs of the nymphs have 15 internal spines,the first 12 are a small one the big ones are arranged alternately,the rear 3 are two small and the big one is arranged;the tibia of the forefoot has two rows of spines,9 outer spines,13 inner spines;the head and shell width of the male adult is 6.22 mm,the pronotum is 21.57 mm,and the body length 63.51 mm,the width of the female adult female head shell is about 6.61 mm,the pronotum length is 21.45 mm,and the body length is 63.48 mm;the PP end of the male genitalia phalloides is extended and both sides are obviously toothed,but the tooth shape is not as good as T.sinensis is densely packed,with a transparent membrane protruding similar to a penis at the end;the lower penis and leaves are greatly curved to the upper right and the end is pointed;the upper right penis and leaf RE has no obvious finger-like protrusions;the end of the lower reproductive plate is raised.The main distinguishing characteristics of H.membranacea are as follows.The egg is beige,spindle-shaped,and arranged in a fan shape in the egg sheath;the egg sheath is Hei Piao-xiao,cylindrical,hard,black;the nymph turns into a tender yellow when just hatched Brick red,green to the last instar nymphs;adult femoral segments have 15 internal spines,one small and one large alternately arranged;forefoot tibia 10 external spines and 16 internal spines;male adult pronotum length is 20.55 mm,body length is 64.75 mm,head shell width is 8.20 mm,female adult pronotum length is about 23.14 mm,body length is about 67.93 mm,head shell width is 8.20 mm;the male genitalia phallus PP is extended and both sides have no obvious teeth,The left phallomere are slightly curved,the base is thick and the end is pointed;the upper right phallic stem and leaf RE has obvious finger-like protrusions,and the end of the lower reproductive plate is raised.(2)Completed the comparative analysis of the main morphological characteristics of the three mantis species:The morphological characteristics of the three species of mantis eggs and egg sheaths,the pronotum,forefoot and male genitalia of male and female adults,the width of the head shell,the length of the pronotum and the body length of the nymphs and adults of each instar were compared and analyzed.The results of the study show that according to the color,shape,arrangement of the egg sheath,the aspect ratio,shape,texture,and color of the egg sheath,the egg sheaths of the three mantis species can be classified and identified more accurately;According to the characteristics of body color,body length,the number of spines in the tibia and femur of the forefoot,and the structure of the external genitalia,the male and female adults of the three mantis species can be accurately classified and identified.2.The study of biology in mantisThrough field investigation and indoor artificial climate box breeding observation,the biological learning of three kinds of praying mantis has been mastered.(1)Life historyOne generation occurs in a year in the wild,and it goes through three stages of egg,nymph,and adult in its lifetime.The nymph is 7 instars.Overwintering with egg sheaths hanging on branches or tree trunks,hatching from early March to early April of the following year,nymph stage from April to July,emergence of adult worms in early August,and peak adult occurrence from early September to the end of October.Mating begins in late September and spawning begins in early October.(2)Development periodAt a temperature of 26? and a humidity of 85%±1%,there are 8 nymph stages of the T.sinensis.The shortest duration of the 1st instar nymph is about 11.73 days,and the longest duration of the 8th instar nymph is about 24.75 days.The nymph stages of the T.angustipennis is the same as H.membranacea.The third instar nymph of T.angustipennis is about 10.44 d and the longest nymph of the seventh instar is about 20.78 d.The shortest duration of the 1st instar nymph of the H.membranacea is about 9.70 days,and the longest duration of the 7th instar nymph is about 20.78 days.The last instar nymphs of all the three kinds of praying mantis are the longest,and the development duration of the younger nymphs was shorter than that of the older nymphs.(3)Mating behaviorIn indoor conditions and without being affected by external factors,the mating process of the The T.sinensis is about 7 hours;the mating time of T.angustipennis and the T.sinensis is close to about 7 hours;and the H.membranacea's longest time is about 14 hours.(4)MoltingThree species of praying mantis crawl to the top of the inner wall of the feeding device to molt when molting,and the head is vertically downward when molting.The T.sinensis shed its skins and emergence into adults after 7 times,and T.angustipennis and H.membranacea shed its skins and emergences into adults 6 times.(5)EclosionThe 8th instar nymphs of the T.sinensis,the 7th instar nymphs of the T.angustipennis and H.membranacea emerge as adults,and the 4th instar nymphs of the three kinds of mantises can see wing buds.(6)FeedingThe three species of praying mantises are active predation and waiting to prey,active predation of Drosophila melanogaster in flight,and Blatta lateralis in walking.(7)SpawningPraying mantis usually lays eggs at night.The egg sheath is born on the top and wall of the feeding bottle.The ridge of the mantis egg sheath on the top is facing down.When the mantis on the wall lays its eggs,the mantis faces down and the ridge of the egg sheath faces inward.Contained in the egg sheath,the egg sheath produced by the mating mantis can hatch,but the egg sheath produced by the unmated egg cannot hatch.(8)IncubationPraying mantis usually hatch in the morning and at night.T.sinensis takes about34 days from the laying of the egg sheath to the egg hatching from the egg sheath at26?.The H.membranacea lasted about 31 days;the T.angustipennis lasted 36 days.(9)Mutual disabilityThe nymphs and adults of the praying mantis can kill each other.The nymphs are prone to be hungry,and the adults are prone to sex-eating phenomenon when mating.3.Study on breeding technologyIn the artificial climate box,by setting different temperature,feed formula,breeding scale and other related conditions,observe the impact on egg hatch ability,nymph development period,survival rate and emergence rate,adult development period,etc.,and have a preliminary grasp of the best breeding techniques for 3 species of praying mantis.(1)The results showed that the best conditions were are 26°C and a humidity of85%±1% for three species of praying mantises.Different feed formulas were used for feeding,and the results showed that the survival rate of feeding three mantis to 6th instar nymphs in formula 1(D.melanogaster + Blatta lateralis)was above 60%,while the other two formulas(aphids + yellow mealworm,fresh pig Liver + sucrose)is below 40%,which is not conducive to the breeding of praying mantis.(2)The temperature is 22?±1?,the humidity is 85%±1%,the photoperiod L//D=14 h//10 h,the feeding formula is: fruit flies and Blatta lateralis,and reared individually,The three kinds of praying mantis Mortality is higher than 20%;higher than the death rate of adult mantis at 26? and 30? under the same conditions(3)Egg laying rate of praying mantisThe mantis is bred with single one.Under different temperature conditions,the spawning rates of T.sinensis,H.membranacea.and T.angustipennis at 22?,26?and 30? were 14.29%,15.38% and 44.44% respectively.;16.67%,50.00%,0.00%;0.00%,50.00%,50.00%.Explain that the best temperature is between 26??30?,the humidity is 85%±1%.When feeding conditions is D.melanogaster and Blatta lateralis,the temperature is 26°C,the humidity is 85%±1%,they are reared individually,the hatching rate of the three mantises is above 90%.it is more suitable for the growth and development of T.sinensis and T.angustipennis,while the breeding conditions of 30?,it was not suitable for the growth and development of H.membranacea.In the breeding process matters needing attentions were single-head breeding as much as possible to avoid mutual disability;timely feeding,feeding females before mating,avoiding "wives and husbands",ensuring a clean and hygienic breeding environment during the breeding process,timely cleaning up food residues,and avoiding breeding threat of feeding to protect the praying mantis.