# Are they really that ferocious??



## Cindy (Jul 5, 2008)

My student was really kind to try and capture a flower mantid for me. He got one and held it to examine it. It used its fore arms to cut his finger and he bled!  

The poor boy was trying check if he actually got hold of an orchid mantid (called a flower mantid here for hanging around flowers).


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## macro junkie (Jul 5, 2008)

Cindy said:


> My student was really kind to try and capture a flower mantid for me. He got one and held it to examine it. It used its fore arms to cut his finger and he bled!  The poor boy was trying check if he actually got hold of an orchid mantid (called a flower mantid here for hanging around flowers).


if you mean wahlbergii(flowermantis) then yes even mine when picked up will go for me but it dont hurt and dont make me bleed.she sort of karate chops me..she never grabs me

Orchid mantis also bits me if shes moody..and shes more likely to make me bleed..she never has but her claws are pretty sharp,im sure if she wanted to she could cut me easy.


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## idolomantis (Jul 5, 2008)

yes, flowermantids are known to bite people.

so am i.


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 5, 2008)

She had to of been scared, the ones outside in the wild are not used to people and was probably just defending herself. They do not attack for just any reason. They are not poison so he should be fine.


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## chrisboy101 (Jul 5, 2008)

did he actually grab the mantis? cos if he did no wonder


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## Rick (Jul 5, 2008)

If you grab a mantis they often will respond by trying to escape using their front legs. Those legs end in a very sharp point that can easily prick you.


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## mantidsandgeckos (Jul 5, 2008)

Don't spiny flower mantids live in Africa?Most probably its a orchid mantis


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## ABbuggin (Jul 6, 2008)

friendofgeckos said:


> Don't spiny flower mantids live in Africa?Most probably its a orchid mantis


lol good point. :lol:


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## idolomantis (Jul 6, 2008)

friendofgeckos said:


> Don't spiny flower mantids live in Africa?Most probably its a orchid mantis


whoever said that it was in asia? LOL


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## mantidsandgeckos (Jul 6, 2008)

Oops, sry.


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 6, 2008)

We assume because of the unevenness of the last sentence that it was somewhere overseas, also where can u find wild flower mantis here in the us?


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## idolomantis (Jul 6, 2008)

my lil ameles tried to bite me too, hehe she didn,t came trough my skin :lol:


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## darkspeed (Jul 6, 2008)

hibiscusmile said:


> Where can u find wild flower mantids here in the us?


Well mine do throw some crazy parties lol.


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## Cindy (Jul 7, 2008)

Flower mantis are found only in Africa? I am in Singapore, south east asia.

Cool, does it mean he could be grabbing onto an orchid mantis?


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## OGIGA (Jul 7, 2008)

Orchid mantises are really strong. The one I had was really mean. She always tries to attack people if you put your hand near.


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## mantidsandgeckos (Jul 11, 2008)

Cindy said:


> Flower mantis are found only in Africa? I am in Singapore, south east asia. Cool, does it mean he could be grabbing onto an orchid mantis?


What colour was it? :huh:


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## calng424 (Jul 29, 2008)

Orchid mantis only is found in africa ? Anyway it is white with a dash of pink . I did not grab it , i took it out and put it on the floor using a magnifing glass it jumped on me so i was sort of scared ...

but let it climb on my hand . But at first i jumped around quite a bit . I think it is Hymenopus coronatus .


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## idolomantis (Jul 29, 2008)

orchids ae from indonesia, pseudocreobotra is from africa


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## mantidsandgeckos (Jul 29, 2008)

calvin said:


> Orchid mantis only is found in africa ? Anyway it is white with a dash of pink . I did not grab it , i took it out and put it on the floor using a magnifing glass it jumped on me so i was sort of scared ... but let it climb on my hand . But at first i jumped around quite a bit . I think it is Hymenopus coronatus .


Wow, it is definitely orchid mantis, hymenopus coronatos :lol: .They come from Malaysia too  .Did you keep it?


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## calng424 (Jul 29, 2008)

After it bit me it flew away


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## idolomantis (Jul 29, 2008)

calvin said:


> After it bit me it flew away


would be a male then.


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## muleyyy (Jul 31, 2008)

LOL! i've never been bitten by a praying mantis! though my mum had once, but i think it just mistook her for food, they often whip out thier front claws at me, sometimes to rebuff me if i'm getting too close to thier mouth using the "backhand" of thier claw, sometimes they seem to do it to greet me if i offer them my hand, they'll put thier front claws on it as if checking if its stable to climb on...these are all captive mantids though! i dont know about wild ones!

i would have thought that a mantis would give a threat display before actually grabbing or biting you, right? i've only seen mine give me threat displays a few times, my chinese mantis does it when its hungry and iritable, and my prohierodula picta occasionally puts on a threat display... i dont even know why, but its very friendly normally!


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## Precious (Aug 1, 2008)

I had to pry a male hierodula off of my hand with a wooden skewer. It was weird, he didn't strike - just slowly lowered his mouth to my skin and just chomped. My family was around and they were crackin' up and I was squealin'. It seemed to go on forever! He didn't break the skin, just pinched. We put a label on his enclosure 'crazy' because he'd have a go at whoever went in his enclosure. :blink:


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## calng424 (Aug 29, 2008)

found a orchid again  . when i was examining it with GLOVES . It broke the glove and gave me 2 slashes . I injured it by accident .


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## Cindy (Aug 29, 2008)

Poor boy!!


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## idolomantis (Aug 29, 2008)

my tenodera male ate a piece of me yesterday &lt;_&lt;


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## mantidsandgeckos (Aug 29, 2008)

WoW, YOU ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY TO ALWAYS FIND ORCHID MANTIDS!Where did you find it?


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## collinchang635 (Aug 29, 2008)

Did you find it on a flower? If you did, you have very good eyes as they blend in very well with flowers.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 29, 2008)

Did you find it on a flower? If you did, you have very good eyes as they blend in very well with flowers. By far you are the most lucky person I have ever known. You had like 3-5 Tropidomantids fly in your window and found and orchid mantid. Whats your secret?


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## idolomantis (Aug 29, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> Did you find it on a flower? If you did, you have very good eyes as they blend in very well with flowers.


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## calng424 (Aug 29, 2008)

I found it on an pink orchid . eating a bug . i saw the half eaten bug 1st


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## OGIGA (Aug 29, 2008)

Amazing how badly it hurt you. Can you find me an orchid ootheca?


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## mantidsandgeckos (Aug 29, 2008)

calvin said:


> I found it on an pink orchid . eating a bug . i saw the half eaten bug 1st


Do you find them on orchids near your house?I think I and try to find some with Collin! :lol:


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## collinchang635 (Aug 30, 2008)

friendofgeckos said:


> Do you find them on orchids near your house?I think I and try to find some with Collin! :lol:


Don't have any orchid in my house but I have green plants. I found a Tropidomantid on a green plant today! :lol: Its male I think judging by its size of his abdomen.


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## calng424 (Aug 31, 2008)

I found it in bukit timh hill . Ooth ... Pls note your in CALIFORNIA !


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## calng424 (Aug 31, 2008)

I found it in bukit timh hill . Ooth ... Pls note your in CALIFORNIA !


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