Preying Mantis

[highplainsdrifter]

Every year since I was just a wee lad, I've kept at least one mantis. I enjoy the challenge of finding them in the wild, and then observing their hunting techniques. Are there any mantis keepers here? I was also wondering if anyone knew of a way to obtain any of the more exotic varieties.

[RedParrotBubbles85]

i thought it was illigal to keep them?

[highplainsdrifter]

I hope not!
I certainly have not heard of any legal issues.

[jonah]

That's a new one on me.

www.growquest.com/praying_mantis_page.htm

There's probably others out there.

[crazyfishlady]

I believe I've heard that it is an urban legend/old wives' tale that it is illegal to kill a praying mantis.
Told by gardeners who want natural pest control to litle children that like to kill bugs. :)

[RedParrotBubbles85]

oh, i was told that when i was younger so i thought it was true. i always have them by my house in the summer so maybe i'll keep one of them when i see it.

[SGypsyMermaid]

maybe it's a false memory, but i seem to remember seeing signs as a kid, warning that there was a $50 fine for killing a preying mantis. :confused:

[jonah]

And it's a terrible sin to kill a mockingbird.:lol:

[SGypsyMermaid]

:razz:

[aharris]

I thought they were a popular pet in the orient.

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by aharris
I thought they were a popular pet in the orient.

as a child, i read a story about a little boy in asia who kept a cricket as a pet --in a fancy little cage.

[aharris]

I remember a story in my text book a boy who tied thred to the thorax of his mantis and tied it to his bed post in his house.

[crazyfishlady]

Hmmm I'm pretty sure that would be right near the bottom of the list of "things I want tied to my bed" :)

[aharris]

Hey if you got a bed bug problem, this could be nature's way of helping you out.

[jonah]

Originally posted by aharris
I remember a story in my text book a boy who tied thred to the thorax of his mantis and tied it to his bed post in his house.

We used to tie strings to these large irridescent green beetles that we called june bugs, but I think they were really Japanese beetles. They were shiny green on top, black on the bottom and about the size of a ping pong ball. They were beautiful and made a heck of a buzz flying around in circles on the end of the string. Eventually they'd get worn out and we'd cut them loose.

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by crazyfishlady
Hmmm I'm pretty sure that would be right near the bottom of the list of "things I want tied to my bed" :)

:lol2: :yow: :lol2:

[aharris]

And if I had my choice between sleeping with a mantis and sleeping with the kissing bug carrier of Chagas disease . . .

[jonah]

Easy choice for you, the mantis only pops off the head of the males if I remember correctly.:eek:

[aharris]

Only if she's hungry. I saw a pair mate where the male got away. Of course I've seen some others that didn't work out so well for him . . .

The things you do when you're spending time on the farm.

[crazyfishlady]

Originally posted by aharris
And if I had my choice between sleeping with a mantis and sleeping with the kissing bug carrier of Chagas disease . . .

True enough! :) What an interesting adaptation to a pest problem!

[zenobium]

I had a mantis for a summer, then let him go in August so he could go find a mate. I fed him crickets mostly... SOB got HUGE! I think I was feeding him more than most get fed...