# Greetings from Malaysia



## Chiniensis (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi

I moved to Malaysia about 4 months ago from the UK, having previously spent 12 years in South Africa, a year in the UK and 3 months in Mexico.

I am finding some great species here - so far I have managed to get all three of the Deroplatys - truncata, dessicata and lobata - to lay ootheca. Last year on holiday here I managed to find some Orchids nymphs and where we live there are regularly mantis at the window. The only problem is finding enough food - the crickets on sale here would kill a rat, they are so disgusting!

Look forward to swapping info.

Regards

David


----------



## hibiscusmile (Jan 2, 2013)

welcome! if the food there is outside, you just have to find a way to gather some up, they must be finding the food outside or they would not be so many of them!


----------



## Chiniensis (Jan 2, 2013)

Strangely, there are periods when there is not a lot flying here. Now it is the rainy season and things are buzzing but two months ago it was rare to even see a butterfly around the city. I live near Shah Alam near Kuala Lumpur. 17 years ago I did a three year work related stint here and collected 1000s of butterflies. These days the pollution and over-building has changed all that.

Most of the more unusual species come from the Highlands where the bugs fly abundantly.

Around here it is mainly green ones of varying sizes. We have dozens of nymphs, the size of ants, on lantana in the garden. Its the rains!!

David


----------



## Bug Trader (Jan 2, 2013)

Consider trying to culture flies? Also its a shame as far as how half of Asia has treated the envorinment with little care, I have been all over there and saw what industry has done. Just one more reason to get those species in culture, they may not be around much longer.


----------



## Chiniensis (Jan 2, 2013)

I have been 'culturing' flies. But not very popular with the family! Also, with &gt; 15 large mantis and growing, the number of flies needed would be horrendous. In the UK we could buy a 'pint' of maggots and simply hatch what we wanted and leave the rest in the (spare) fridge. In Malaysia (and in South Africa) maggots are not on sale, so the only option is breeding your own. Or find another source of food.

Fortunately, I am able to find quite a few butterfly larvae of common things like Phalanta phalanta, which pupate quickly. I have also set up a fruit trap which pulls in satyrids from the date palm plantation across the stream behind our house.

I am now busy breeding cockroaches (or rather letting them do the work).

I'm slowly getting myself sorted out. It took a while in South Africa to get things settled and then again in the UK. Each new location has its own challenges. But that is part of the fun!


----------



## aNisip (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome to the forum! Glad to meet a new member who actually lives in the mantis central  keep us updated on what you find!  

All the best,

Andrew


----------



## Chiniensis (Jan 2, 2013)

I recognise that I am absurdly lucky in having lived in two of the best mantis places in the world - South Africa and Malaysia.

If you want to see what conditions a lot of bush veld mantis in SA live in you are welcome to visit my old site www.kameeldrift.com It is mainly a site about the game farm in general but there is a section on insects. It was amazingly productive for mantis and was the source for most of the Harpagomantis being bred in Europe, with a lot of the UK Popa and Clinia originating from there. The list of species on this one plot is too long to put here and I suspect I missed more than I found!

If Malaysia can be half as productive then I am in for some great fun!

Regards

David


----------



## D_Hemptress (Jan 2, 2013)

welcome, welcome


----------



## Mime454 (Jan 2, 2013)

Malaysia?! Awesome! Welcome.


----------



## Danny. (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome


----------



## Mvalenz (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


----------



## lancaster1313 (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome.


----------



## Digger (Jan 2, 2013)

Greetings from Philadelphia, PA Chiniensis. No flying critters in December here either. Just wee bit chillier than where you are :helpsmilie:


----------



## fleurdejoo (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome from Kentucky!!


----------



## ismart (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome!


----------



## brancsikia339 (Jan 2, 2013)

Welcome!!!! Have you ever seen toxodera sp. or parymenopus in malaysia yet?


----------



## aychen222 (Jan 2, 2013)

Hope you plan on posting a bunch of pics to the gallery!


----------



## Chiniensis (Jan 3, 2013)

So far I have only seen Deroplatys trucata, lobata and dessicata, as well as some other unidentified species. One is a feather mantis, one a bark mantis and three green types of varying size. Last year I found several Orchid nymphs and I hope to return to the same place and have another look. At the same place as the Orchids I found an ootheca that someone in the UK identified as a possible parymenopus. I have no idea whether he was right as it produced flies.

It is early days yet and I am hopeful of some stunning stuff!

I will post some photos today - at the moment I am loading up my Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.244456339018271.60469.241205279343377&amp;type=1&amp;l=a1dd031b84

David

(I posted them in a gallery - is this the right place or are they better as individual photos in the photo section? Or doesn't it make any difference?)


----------



## agent A (Jan 3, 2013)

welcome from CT!!! do you ever catch saturniid moths where u r?


----------



## Malakyoma (Jan 3, 2013)

Welcome from Canada  I look very forward to your pictures and updates on what amazing species you find.


----------



## brancsikia339 (Jan 3, 2013)

You've seen the feather mantis???  have you ever caught one????


----------



## Chiniensis (Jan 3, 2013)

Photos of Theopompa and feather mantis added to my Gallery.


----------



## Mex_Ghost (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome, where did you live in Mexico??


----------



## Chiniensis (Jan 4, 2013)

I spent three months in Ajijic, on the shores of Lake Chapala, near Guadalajara. Great climate but not so easy to forage in the hills for predatory livestock due to the presence of other 'predatory livestock'!

I managed to find a couple of species of mantis in our garden and I found one when we were in Mazamitla. I kept them for a few days and let them go as there was little point in trying to get a culture going as we didn't know where we would end up.

The year before I was in the Yucatan and found a green mantis as well as a species that looked so much like a Popa spurca from South Africa that I ignored it until I remembered where I was and rushed back to get a photo!

Mexico is a lovely country and we have plans to return at some point.


----------



## sally (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome!


----------



## Rick (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome


----------



## Precarious (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome aboard!

Be prepared to be bombarded with PMs from members trying to win you over and convince you to hunt for them.  I wish I were joking.


----------



## Mime454 (Jan 4, 2013)

Precarious said:


> Welcome aboard!
> 
> Be prepared to be bombarded with PMs from members trying to win you over and convince you to hunt for them.  I wish I were joking.


I already sent one.  No shame in my game.


----------



## Precarious (Jan 4, 2013)

Mime454 said:


> I already sent one.


Goes without sayin'.


----------



## twolfe (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome! What fabulous photo opportunities you must have in the places you have lived.

I would love to see photos of any mantids that you find on plants, etc. (no buildings and not staged) just to see what they choose to use for perches and whether they are hanging upside down or sitting upright.


----------



## Malakyoma (Jan 4, 2013)

Mime454 said:


> I already sent one.


Ha you guys sending messages. I got one already  The key is to put your wish list in your signature.


----------

