About Creobroter gemmatus Saussure, 1869
Males of Creobroter gemmatus reach approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in length, and females grow slightly larger. This species prefers a humid environment, and has a captive lifespan of around nine months. Females of this species can be cannibalistic, while males are fairly communal. Cannibalism in C. gemmatus occurs infrequently, but it is more common than in other species of flower mantises. Individuals moult 8 times to reach adulthood, and take between 2 and 5 months to mature, a timeline that depends on available food and environmental temperature. This species is the smallest, yet most widely distributed, member of the genus Creobroter. Each ootheca can hold up to 50 eggs, and under optimal conditions, hatchlings emerge roughly 5 weeks after the eggs are laid.
