# Introductions are in order!



## Eoullis (Jan 5, 2010)

Greetings,

I am so pleased to be a part of this eccentric community. I only wish I knew sooner that such a place as this existed. I've already read many posts and can't believe how much information is contained within this site and the willingness of the members who share this knowledge with us all. So, thanks for having me and I hope to get know some of you as time goes by.

I suppose I should give a quick summary of how I ended up here. The first time I saw a mantis I was about six years old. The mantis was on my Grandfather's truck when I saw it and started yelling for someone to "come look at this bug". My Grandfather came out of the barn and told me that it was a praying mantis. He explained to me what kind of creature it was and what it did. He also taught me to never kill a mantis. He caught a cricket and got the mantis to sit in his hand and fed it the cricket. That was it for me. I was hooked. The image of that first mantis snatching the cricket, gobbling it up, and then cleaning itself like a cat, is burned forever in my mind. When that bright green jewel turned its head to look at me I felt an instant connection. I felt that me and this little creature were privy to something most of the animal kingdom is without. My favorite insect firstly and lastly for always.

I played with mantidae all through my childhood and teens but, never kept one as a pet. Fastforward to when I was about twenty-five working in a bookstore, I came across some incredible images of praying mantises. I felt that awesome feeling of curiosity for mantidae. I read a little and the next thing I know I'm hatching a mail order ootheca from Wards science. I turned all of them loose except for one really bright green one and kept it for about a year until it died. Turned out it was a she and she was awesome. I became quite attached to her. I planned on hatching another ootheca but, it was a crazy time then, I was young and jumping from apartment to apartment and job to job.

Fast forward ten years I'm settled down pushing forty and got stung by the mantid "bug" about seven days ago. I've been reading as much free information as I can and discovered this forum. So, here I am.

I plan on picking up some specimens and really getting into things. I have the space and the time. I'll do some more research and get my setup going before I purchase anything thats alive. I'm hoping some of you will help me in my decision when it comes time for me to purchase a or some mantids.

Hope this isn't too long. Thanks for reading. So long for now.

David (Eoullis)


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 5, 2010)

Wow , what a nice summary of your life! thanks, sounds like most of us. All been bitten by the mantis bug. and they say they don't infect humans!!! hahaha, I make funny!  You are most welcome here on the forum and I am glad you finally showed yourself, I thought we were being watched




! from OHIO


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## [email protected] (Jan 5, 2010)

Welcome, great life story.


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## yeatzee (Jan 5, 2010)

Fire away any questions you got


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## Katnapper (Jan 5, 2010)

Hello David, and welcome to the forum...



great to have you here!  Loved your story and I think you are doing the best thing possible... doing your homework/research before acquiring some soon-to-be lucky mantids. Browsing through past forum threads or doing forum searches for specific questions or items of interest is your best tool for learning lots before learning from experience. Being prepared makes all the difference too. Best of luck to you in your new hobby, and I look forward to seeing you around on the boards!


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## revmdn (Jan 5, 2010)

Welcome. I'm in Wallingford Pa, and my gf grew up in Morrisville.


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## Mantibama (Jan 5, 2010)

Great introduction and very nice to meet you David. Enjoy the community!


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## Rick (Jan 6, 2010)

Welcome. Great story.


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## ismart (Jan 6, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!


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## kamakiri (Jan 6, 2010)

Welcome! Sounds like you'll fit right in!


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 6, 2010)

Welcome from Yuma!

You are giving yourself a great start by establishing yr setup and learning the basics before getting any mantids.


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## khabirun (Jan 6, 2010)

Welcome David, great introduction.


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## JohnCon (Jan 6, 2010)

Good Luck only wanting one! After reading this forum regularly your gonna want a bunch.


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## planetq (Jan 7, 2010)

Welcome to the forum-

Great story!


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## Eoullis (Jan 7, 2010)

Thanks for the warm welcome gang. I will have questions soon. I'm trying to answer the majority of them myself by reading the posts. So when I do have a question hopefully it will be one that hasn't been asked.

Joe Cap..yer not that far from me when do I get an invite to come over for dinner..lol.


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 7, 2010)

Welcome!

Sorry for the late reply, just got my internet back lol.

Very nice introduction, and I gotta say I agree, good luck only wanting one!


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## Eoullis (Jan 7, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> Welcome!Sorry for the late reply, just got my internet back lol.
> 
> Very nice introduction, and I gotta say I agree, good luck only wanting one!


Yeah, I agree too. One does sound pretty silly. I've been pouring over the photos and reading about the different species and it's getting complicated..lol. Getting just one is not goin to happen.

If I may add it is so thrilling to see that a young woman like yourself is so into this stuff instead of keeping up the latest trends at the mall.

You, young missy, all by yourself give me great hope for the human race!


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## Katnapper (Jan 7, 2010)

Eoullis said:


> If I may add it is so thrilling to see that a young woman like yourself is so into this stuff instead of keeping up the latest trends at the mall.You, young missy, all by yourself give me great hope for the human race!


Hey.... what about us old broads?


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 7, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> Hey.... what about us old broads?


You're still a youngun to me, Katt! Stop by my place any time!


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## Katnapper (Jan 7, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> You're still a youngun to me, Katt! Stop by my place any time!


If I'm going anywhere close to Yuma, Arizona way... you can be sure I will!


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## Eoullis (Jan 7, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> Hey.... what about us old broads?


Lol....oh my what have I done..hehehe..

I love old broads in fact my wife is becoming one. (ouch that doens't sound right hope she doensn't see this) Youth can't touch experience with a 10 1/2 foot pole. In fact all you ol' broads out there are more than welcome to send me your nude pics..lol. (ouch! hope she doesn't see this one either.)

let me clarify. Folks my age (38) and up are the coolest. Its these young whippersnapers i worry about. The only thing they seem to be able to do with their hands is mash buttons. I was just impressed to see a youngster doing something other than texting and playing with apps and thought she deserved a tip of the ol' hat.

Let me repeat ol' broads rock...they rock hard!!


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## Katnapper (Jan 7, 2010)

Eoullis said:


> Let me repeat ol' broads rock...they rock hard!!


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 7, 2010)

Eoullis said:


> Yeah, I agree too. One does sound pretty silly. I've been pouring over the photos and reading about the different species and it's getting complicated..lol. Getting just one is not goin to happen.If I may add it is so thrilling to see that a young woman like yourself is so into this stuff instead of keeping up the latest trends at the mall.
> 
> You, young missy, all by yourself give me great hope for the human race!


I thought having 12 was alot.

Boy am I wrong.

What would I do if I only had one?

Go crazy, that's what.

And thank you very much, sir!

And you'll be happy to know I haven't been to the mall since back-to-school shopping in August.

(What a fiasco that turned out to be, my "back to school" lasted about a month!)


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