If you follow my tumblr at all, this is not really news to you. But I figured this was interesting enough to share with you goodly folks anyways! :D

Over the past couple of weeks, I've had run ins with some
wild mantises here (that's me holding the little critters in all three photos)! Until finally, I came across a mangrove that was just teeming with what appeared to be very young Giant Asian Mantis nymphs!! A very crowded brood of countless brothers and sisters, it would seem, had hatched on the tree recently.

I had been fighting with myself to not take home any of the mantids I found. I love them so much, but had always known better than to pluck animals from the wild for selfish purposes. Having what was, basically, "my pick of the whole litter" was just too tempting, and I caved into my desire to watch one of these creatures grow all the way into its final instar. I went home, did some research on how to make a little mantis happy (and how to ensure it lives a longer, more comfortable life than it would in the wild), and then returned to the mangrove tree to pick a little lady for myself.

The lass I picked was one of the smaller nymphs. Her coloration is a dull green with some brown markings and banding along her legs. She's no longer than an inch, if you were to lay her flat. She's bright, and alert, and active! I've placed her in a terrarium that's quite large for her small size, with small pebbles for substrate, and fake flora for her to climb all over! Eventually, I'd like to have some proper, real plants in soil for her...but that will have to wait until I can even find the time to do so (I have been crazy busy ever since arriving in thailand)!

She's a fierce predator, too! Today, she made quick work of one very larger fruit fly, and one very small house fly. It was so cool to watch her stalk, capture, and mow down on her pray. She wastes no time; once she spots them, they're as good as dead! She's resting now, after such a substantial meal, she won't have to eat for another two days.

I've named her Penh, after "deuan penh" which translates roughly to "the full moon" in thai, and is considered a conventionally 'beautiful'/very effeminate name for girls, by thai standards. I want my little mantis lass to feel pretty by her peers conventions :B so a anglo name just was not going to cut it.
Here are some pictures I took of her after her very first meal!:
One
Two

I hope I do well by her, and get to see her grow big and bright! So far, she appears to be doing very well, away from predators and with no trouble feeding herself.

In related news, Thailand is great! Everything I love exists here, and with no cold winters!! I never want to return to canada >:'U!! I graciously accept this place as my new home! Lets see how graciously it accepts me, or if I'll overstay my welcome in time, hahaha!

I hope everything is well with you folks! Do take care <3!!