So, I had a day off today, got all the stuff I needed to do early, decided to check out some stuff at the local college, and do a bit 'o mantis hunting on the way...
The college has this big field that used to have a LOT of mantis egg cases in it, So I figured I'd grab a few. When I got there, the whole field was cleared. I DID find one egg case on a bush on the side, and left the few others that I saw, (I don't want to take the only ones around) So anyway, on the way back, I saw this other field. I figured "what the heck, I'll go check there to see if there are any egg cases"...Holy Snikies! There were literally THOUSANDS of them, It was really really odd. Almost like a weird dream. I turn, I see one, I grab it, I see another, I grab it, two more...
I grabbed a few, and came home.
Here they are: This took me less then five minutes to get. There were SOOO many of 'em.
Sooooo.... If any of you Pffers were interested in having Mantids, here is your chance. I'll send 20 egg cases out, one per person. If you are interested, reply here and PM me yer address.
Caring for them is pretty easy: If you want to keep them outside, just tape the egg case to a branch. (I'll include a pic in the envelope which shows you which way is "up", and explain how to tape it) . They would probably do well in areas that have a few warm months, and some humidity. (This is the Chinese Mantis) They are all over the US, Asia, and even Hawai! LINK
If you want to keep them inside, Then there IS some care involved, but again, not TOO tough.
Two schools of thought: 1. They hatch, you keep them all together, they eat each other, you end up with one or two large ones. 2. They hatch, you put a few in different containers (or each int their own) then ya feed them their food, then you end up with a LOT.
1 is easier then 2, but it's a bit mean to have 'em chomp each other (but that's what they do in the wild anyway)
They SHOULD hatch 3-6 weeks after you keep the eggs at room temperature. 90% will hatch together, but don't remove the egg case. There may be some slowpokes still hanging out inside , and could hatch a few weeks later! They wiggle out from the egg case, hang downward on a tiny thread, and let their skin dry ut. Then, they run around likt little friggin crazy maniacs. And they hop.
If you want to feed them, they will eat these guys:
flightless fruitflies. you buy 'em, then every now and then, shake some into the mantis tank. It doesn't get much easier then that.
Mantids poop little dried black balls, not exactly "gross", as far as poop goes. (Manty pooped white balls, but that's because I fed her a lot of chicken... )
Then move 'em on to crickets and worms. Just don't dump a bunch of crickets in, or they could chomp on yer mantis! (especially when they molt!)The most important thing is to get a spray bottle mister thingie (99 cents). Spray them at least once a day, in the morning or afternoon. Don't hafta go nuts, just spray a few sprays, get the sides of the tank wet a little. They drink water off the leaves and side of the tank... And they NEED some moisture (humidity) when they molt, or they will get stuck in their old skin and die.
Tank:
Anything that lets you see the mantids, yet keep them and their food IN. Some gravel (I recommend black) A few different types of things for them to climb and hide on. Some sort of ventillation. A few sticks for them to climb and make their nests on... It doesn't have to be fancy, or expensive.
Ok, I've been babbling.
Well, I have a bunch of egg cases, so if yer interested, lemme know... It would be cool if a few of you tried raising mantids, and posted your progress on here.
See ya later. -Bugman
[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 01-28-2005).]
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07:32 PM
PFF
System Bot
LITEDAZE Member
Posts: 1894 From: Timmins ON Canada Registered: Apr 2004
The Chinese Mantis egg case can survive in freezing temps - they are insulated. I don't know how well they would fare OUTSIDE in Canada though...Depends how long your "warm season" is.
If you were going to keep them INSIDE, they should be just fine.
-FR
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07:44 PM
LITEDAZE Member
Posts: 1894 From: Timmins ON Canada Registered: Apr 2004
Don't do it people. Those remind me of the pods in Invasion of the body snatchers. Fiero Rumor is trying to take over all Fiero owners by spreading his evil mantis pods.
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10:43 PM
ryan.hess Member
Posts: 20784 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Dec 2002
Sending it to canada would be a bad idea. Imagine the fit the customs inspector would have if he saw one of those pods! They don't allow fruit, let alone alien pods!
I'd like to get one, but
a) I don't want to go through the trouble of finding a cage and all that jazz 2) I doubt it would survive if it hatched outside... and c) I said I wouldn't take any more unknown pods after the last "incident"
I'm interested. Do you think that if I used fruit flies with wings that they could catch them? I can get those for free! I would feel kinda bad only keeping one and letting the other die though. I really don't have time to raise a whole bunch of them. Mark
Don't do it people. Those remind me of the pods in Invasion of the body snatchers. Fiero Rumor is trying to take over all Fiero owners by spreading his evil mantis pods.
Curses! Foiled again!
And I would've gotten away with it, too, if it wasnt for those darn kids...
I'm interested. Do you think that if I used fruit flies with wings that they could catch them? I can get those for free! I would feel kinda bad only keeping one and letting the other die though. I really don't have time to raise a whole bunch of them. Mark
Yes, they CAN catch them, but make sure the mantids can get to the top of the enclosure.
Take a look at how many of the little buggers come out of EACH case!
[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 01-28-2005).]
Why would you want a mantis? What good are they? Do they eat pests or something that I wasn't aware of? I like having crickets around because I grew up on a pond so we didn't like mantis' in my household.
Holy crap that is a lot. Well I guess it will have to be survival of the fittest. Or I could just put the rest of them in someone elses apartment without them knowing They would raid the fridge for meat.
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12:02 AM
Deabionni Member
Posts: 4087 From: Kalkaska, MI Registered: Mar 2004
just wonderin if they bite? i want some either way....but do they?
Not too often, but It doesn't hurt to feed 'em before ya handle them. I learned that lesson the HARD way:
Nah, They really don't "bite" (unless you put your finger IN their mouth) But they might "wack" ya, if they think your finger is food, or if they are threatened. both never really happened with me and manty..she was used to me. Also, they MIGHT squeeze ya a little if they try to climb on you, and then you pick them up fast, but that's just because they want to hold on...!
Just try not to pick them up..let them crawl on ya... onece ya get yer egg case, PM me if ya have any Questions... All ya need for now is a container, and a water bottle sprayer thingie...
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11:21 PM
TaurusThug Member
Posts: 4271 From: Simpsonville, SC Registered: Aug 2003
------------------ '86 Fiero GT My FieroXoticRydz Mid-Rear Madness I am the signature virus, please put me in your signature so I can spread Be Excellent To Each Other" - Bill S. Preston Esquire Ted Theadore Logan
I have been raising them for years....I want some of these ....I think it would help the genetic pool I already have in my 4 acre yard.......HOW DO I PURCHASE SOME OF YOURS.?????/ I DONT MIND PAYING FOR THEM
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12:28 PM
TaurusThug Member
Posts: 4271 From: Simpsonville, SC Registered: Aug 2003
------------------ '86 Fiero GT My FieroXoticRydz Mid-Rear Madness I am the signature virus, please put me in your signature so I can spread Be Excellent To Each Other" - Bill S. Preston Esquire Ted Theadore Logan
Scorpion would Kick the crap out of a typical mantis. MAYBE a gaint African Mantid or some sort would be able to take on a scorpion, but I think the scorpion is more fierce. A "dead leaf" mantis might be able to nab a scorpion, if it got the drop on it, but other then that, the mantis is NOT as rugged as a scorpion. Little dainty legs would snap WAY before the thincker ones, and that TAIL is pretty powerful. Also, If a Mantis DOES grab the scorpion, it will go for the neck area, which is pretty non-existant in a scorpion. Once grabbed, the scorpion would thrash about, stinging randomly. If it got the mantis, it would be a goner.
I originally left them outside, so they wouldn't get warm and start gettin ready to hatch...but I have them inside now. I don't wanna send you 'em, and have 'em hatch on the way there...I'll stop by that crazy field in a few days, and get a few more for those who are interested...
-FR
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12:07 PM
FieroAurora Member
Posts: 1262 From: North Olmsted Ohio Registered: Mar 2004
I'm so afraid I would kill them!!! I want one though but I don't have a cage or anything plus I have a cat... I mean do you really need to like be home all the time for a mantis baby?
HOW DO I GET SOME FROM YOU ....I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR THEM.........I WANT them for for gentic diversity in my 4 acre yard....I have had them here for years in great numbers after ordereing them years ago from a NATURAL GARDENING catalogue.....
HOW DO I GET SOME FROM YOU ....I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR THEM.........I WANT them for for gentic diversity in my 4 acre yard....I have had them here for years in great numbers after ordereing them years ago from a NATURAL GARDENING catalogue.....
PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW TO GET SOME OF YOURS....
1. Take 50 bucks out of your wallet. 2. Hold it in your left hand. 3. Using your other hand, PM me your address. 4. Take the 50 bucks and buy 4 pizzas and a 2 liter of coke. 5. Eat ALL OF it. 6. Get a buncha egg cases in the mail a week or so later.
If you are fearful of large amounts of pizza, you can just do number 3, and number 6...
[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 02-01-2005).]
1. Take 50 bucks out of your wallet. 2. Hold it in your left hand. 3. Using your other hand, PM me your address. 4. Take the 50 bucks and buy 4 pizzas and a 2 liter of coke. 5. Eat ALL OF it. 6. Get a buncha egg cases in the mail a week or so later.
If you are fearful of large amounts of pizza, you can just do number 3, and number 6...
LMAO...
I would take some, but i don't particulary care for bugs... maybe if you were shipping free fiero parts
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04:36 PM
OH10fiero Member
Posts: 1541 From: struther OH Registered: Jun 2002
I have a 180 gallon tank with turtles, wonder if all would be happy in the same tank seeing it would be nothing to arrange the tank to make things liveable for them. Aslo did you get a PM from me FR? I was at a computor from school and sometimes thier filters do not let me send PM's.
just to clear things up, up here in the cold north (canada) we have manti, to save the hassle of cross border shiping, you could just go out to a field and look for some.. Nice to see someone isnt afriad of them! I love those little critters too!
I DID find one egg case on a bush on the side, and left the few others that I saw, (I don't want to take the only ones around)
