# Atracting Mantids



## DeadInTheBasement (May 9, 2006)

can i atract mantids closer to my house?is there anyway i can make a trap for them(i would release them afterwards)?


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## themann42 (May 9, 2006)

i went and found some ooths in a field by a ditch and kept them in a tank in my room. one just hatched, the other likely will soon. pretty soon i'll let most of them go in my backyard. i have about 75 nymphs at the moment.


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## Lukony (May 10, 2006)

See, I can never seem to find ooths anywhere. I guess that they just don't like california.


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## nympho (May 10, 2006)

do female mantids 'call' males with a special pheramone at mating time like moths?

if so that might be a possibility to attract males if you live where mantids live wild.

somebody might like to experiment


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## FieroRumor (May 10, 2006)

Maybe dress up little plastic mantids in cheap clothing, bad makeup, and leave 'em near the streetcorner?  

Not sure if there are any pherenomes involved with Mantid mating...I figured it was a visual type of a thing...

I would say the best way to get some mantids near ya is to buy some ooths and spread 'em around yer property.


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## Jay (May 10, 2006)

From my experience in ootheca collecting here in Colorado the best thing that you can do in this area is to plant some dense flower-producing shrub such as potentilla or wild rose. I think the reason why they congregate on these bushes is for a good supply of food, good ootheca laying area, and for a good area to hide. Of course, this is mainly for European mantids. I don't know much about collecting the ootheca of other varieties of mantids. I hope this helps.

-Jay


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## yen_saw (May 10, 2006)

I believed Jesse did that before using adult female S. Carolina as "bait".


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## Isis (May 10, 2006)

Some species (males of course) are attracted by strong UV light, about (400W lamps). Of course hunting with a light screen attracts generally moths but mantids also get hooked.


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