# hunting site



## mantidian (Apr 25, 2009)

hi

where are the good mantis hunting places in south-east asia?(singapore)

india and camaroon high lands?


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## idolomantis (Apr 25, 2009)

how about forests and open fields


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## mantidian (Apr 25, 2009)

idolomantis said:


> how about forests and open fields


thxs but im not sure any mantises can be found in the fields....

but how abt other places(countries) with higher chance of seeing them?


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## Christian (Apr 25, 2009)

You're living in or near a tropical country with about one of the highest diversities on Earth. If you don't find mantids there you will never find any anywhere...


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## jacksun (Apr 25, 2009)

mantidian said:


> hiwhere are the good mantis hunting places in south-east asia?(singapore)
> 
> india and camaroon high lands?


I would look up the species native to the area, and research where they are generally found, most sites that deal with Mantis facts, especially those from Universities that have Entomology departments will have detailed information available on Mantis habitats tied into food sources in the area. They will also likely have information about specific Mantis behavior in those areas like during midday heat the mantis tends to stop feeding, and move into the shrubbery to stay cool, coming back out again in the late afternoon or early evening. Looking for insects at 2 in the afternoon in the sweltering heat will prove quite fruitless. Once you determine that say the Orchid Mantis is native to Singapore and area, and they like to hang out in meadows with flowers A, B, and C, your hunt will become very easy.

Remember, some of the species you may be looking for will be small, like 1 - 1.5 inches, and there are lots of grass type mantids in Asia so don't only look up.

I would use a sweep net in meadows, bushes, and related areas. If you don't come up with several different species in those areas, somebody has told them you were coming


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## Christian (Apr 26, 2009)

> Once you determine that say the Orchid Mantis is native to Singapore and area, and they like to hang out in meadows with flowers A, B, and C, your hunt will become very easy.


@ Jacksun: Obviously you never searched for mantids in the tropics. It's not as easy as this.

@ Mantidian: he was right, though, in telling you to avoid the heat of the day, except it is rainy. Search in the evening and at night (with a torchlight). You can roughly devide the mantids in your area in two groups: species of open habitats and forest species. The first ones are found in meadows, older logged places and at the forest edge. Typical genera are _Statilia, Tenodera, Hierodula, Acromantis, Tropidomantis_ etc. To the second group belong genera such as _Deroplatys, Camelomantis, Phyllothelys, Hymenopus_ etc. They are rarely or never found in open places and are much rarer than taxa of the first group. In the tropics you can find mantids almost everywhere in ruderal places, however, if you search for something "special" you usually have to go to some better forest. Don't feel disappointed if you don't find anything in the beginning and visit the same place several times and at several times of the day. There are days they come out and days they don't and it's not always obvious to us what's the difference between them.


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## cloud jaguar (Apr 26, 2009)

After you find a couple, it will become much easier to see their outlines or silouette (sp) dangling from plants or leaves. I dont know about they types of plants that you have there but you may find that certain types of mantids really prefer certain types of plants. Good luck!


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## mantidian (Apr 27, 2009)

thanks guys for all the replies!  i'll try to find some!



Arkanis said:


> After you find a couple, it will become much easier to see their outlines or silouette (sp) dangling from plants or leaves. I dont know about they types of plants that you have there but you may find that certain types of mantids really prefer certain types of plants. Good luck!


???!!

i dont understand


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## gadunka888 (Apr 27, 2009)

I think it means that certain mantises will stay on certain plants becos their prey eat this kind of plant.


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## Katnapper (Apr 27, 2009)

mantidian said:


> ???!!i dont understand


Once you get used to actually seeing them within their environment, they will be easier for your eyes to pick out, even though they are camouflaged. It's like eye/brain training... after you see it once, or several times, you then know better what to look for... and your eyes and brain recognizes it better.

Certain mantids prefer certain plants or types of plants. If you find a mantis on a Goldenrod plant (just for example), you would do well to inspect other Goldenrod plants more carefully. You may have increased chances of finding more mantids on the same, or similar, plants.


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## jameslongo (Apr 27, 2009)

mantidian said:


> ???!!i dont understand


What Arkanis is trying to say, although I thought he put it quite eloquently, is once you see one mantid, or a couple of them, spotting more of them will come a bit easier to you. I never realised how many P. albofimbriata lived on my bush-covered fence in my backyard until I found the first. Now when I have look out there, they stick out like sore thumbs.

The more you know, the more you see, or vice versa.


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## jameslongo (Apr 27, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> Once you get used to actually seeing them within their environment, they will be easier for your eyes to pick out, even though they are camouflaged. It's like eye/brain training... after you see it once, or several times, you then know better what to look for... and your eyes and brain recognizes it better.Certain mantids prefer certain plants or types of plants. If you find a mantis on a Goldenrod plant (just for example), you would do well to inspect other Goldenrod plants more carefully. You may have increased chances of finding more mantids on the same, or similar, plants.


Haha Katnapper. Beat me to it. Brilliant explanation


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## Katnapper (Apr 27, 2009)

jameslongo said:


> Haha Katnapper. Beat me to it. Brilliant explanation


We both had the same idea at the same time, lol. Your explanation was very good as well! Maybe between them both... understanding will come.


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## superfreak (Apr 27, 2009)

why dont you two just make out already!   :lol: jokes, good work guys!


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## mantidian (Apr 27, 2009)

oh...i see!

thanks everyone!


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## Katnapper (Apr 27, 2009)

superfreak said:


> why dont you two just make out already!   :lol: jokes, good work guys!


  :lol: Well, besides the fact he's half way around the world, and young enough to be my son... I think he's already taken!


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## jameslongo (Apr 27, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> :lol: Well, besides the fact he's half way around the world, and young enough to be my son... I think he's already taken!


From the sounds of it, I'm not sure that I am taken anymore &lt;_&lt;


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## PhilinYuma (Apr 27, 2009)

jameslongo said:


> From the sounds of it, I'm not sure that I am taken anymore &lt;_&lt;


Awww! Just shake hands (or whatever it is you do in Sidney) and make up!!!


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## gadunka888 (Apr 29, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> Once you get used to actually seeing them within their environment, they will be easier for your eyes to pick out, even though they are camouflaged. It's like eye/brain training... after you see it once, or several times, you then know better what to look for... and your eyes and brain recognizes it better.Certain mantids prefer certain plants or types of plants. If you find a mantis on a Goldenrod plant (just for example), you would do well to inspect other Goldenrod plants more carefully. You may have increased chances of finding more mantids on the same, or similar, plants.


Yeah asian mantids seem to prefer limau purut(Citrus hystrix ), the weird plant that poeple buy for chinese new year and then put the leaves in curry. The mantises prefers bigger plants with more leaves.


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## yen_saw (Apr 29, 2009)

gadunka888 said:


> Yeah asian mantids seem to prefer limau purut(Citrus hystrix ), the weird plant that poeple buy for chinese new year and then put the leaves in curry. The mantises prefers bigger plants with more leaves.


Limau purut plant is host to several types of butterfly larvae (catepillar), praying mantis has a better chance of getting food on those plants. Besides, the fragrance of the flowers is so strong for this plant it attracts lot of pollinated flying insects too. When i was little my mom would ask me to pluck some leaves for cooking (even the leaves has strong fragrance i am sure you know that gadunka888) and i would spend hour looking at the bugs around the plant til my mom show up and pull me ears!


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## Katnapper (Apr 29, 2009)

yen_saw said:


> Limau purut plant is host to several types of butterfly larvae (catepillar), praying mantis has a better chance of getting food on those plants. Besides, the fragrance of the flowers is so strong for this plant it attracts lot of pollinated flying insects too. When i was little my mom would ask me to pluck some leaves for cooking (even the leaves has strong fragrance i am sure you know that gadunka888) and i would spend hour looking at the bugs around the plant til my mom show up and pull me ears!


 :lol:


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## mantidian (Apr 29, 2009)

yen_saw said:


> (even the leaves has strong fragrance i am sure you know that gadunka888) and i would spend hour looking at the bugs around the plant til my mom show up and pull me ears!


LOL !


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## mantidian (May 1, 2009)

is cameron highlands and india a good hunting site?


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## mantidian (May 1, 2009)

is cameron highlands and india a good hunting site?


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## gadunka888 (May 1, 2009)

probably


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