# egyptian mantis hatch!!!



## robo mantis (Jul 23, 2006)

Ok just noticed they hatched and i am going to buy like 6 fruit fly veils tomorrow because i am expecting more hatches and another egg so i want to sell them after their first shed can someone give me step by step instructions to getting them old enough to ship and the easiest ways to care for them


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## rlechols (Jul 23, 2006)

Go to Mantiskingdom.com, click on caresheets, then M. Paykullii. All the information you need is there. They are very easy to care for.


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## robo mantis (Jul 23, 2006)

i know i need like packing methods


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## Rick (Jul 24, 2006)

Just a little tip for next time. Have a large fruit fly culture going prior to them hatching. It can take the flies some time to culture and you will go through vials pretty fast. I prefer to have a large deli cup culture on hand at all times. Shipping is easy. Just put them in individual containers that have mesh or tiny holes poked into them for ventilation. Then place a moist paper towel in each container. Pack them into a box with something like foam peanuts, styrofoam, crumpled newspaper etc and ship them overnight. Certain times of the year you can get away with shipping 2 day mail. In the winter you may have to use heat packs.


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## robo mantis (Jul 24, 2006)

when i buy the fruit flies they have like 50 flies and about 60 larva isn't that right?


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## Rick (Jul 24, 2006)

> when i buy the fruit flies they have like 50 flies and about 60 larva isn't that right?


The number will very per culture. They don't reproduce as fast as you will use them is what I was getting at.


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## robo mantis (Jul 24, 2006)

well anyway i need a good site to buy cheap fruit flies in the US and have big cultures


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## worldofmantis (Jul 24, 2006)

try www.herpfood.com


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## Rick (Jul 24, 2006)

You may not be able to buy a culture with thousands of flies already in it that I know of. You have to make your own and wait until you have all the flies.


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## robo mantis (Jul 24, 2006)

how should i make one?


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## Rick (Jul 24, 2006)

I get a large deli cup and put about a half inch of the medium and pour in some flies. In about two weeks or so I have thousands of flies and a culture that will produce for awhile.


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## robo mantis (Jul 24, 2006)

can i make homade medium? that doesn't smell?


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## Rick (Jul 25, 2006)

I hear you can. I personally don't mess with it. Even the commercially made stuff smells a bit.


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## julian camilo (Jul 25, 2006)

homemade stuff is very easy and cheap to make. however, finding a recipe that works for you can be difficult. there are plenty on the internet, use google. many people swear by their own recipe, but then when someone else tries it (even following it right down to the dot) it just doesnt work for different reasons. so i suggest you try out whatever recipes you can, and find what works for you. eventually, if you learn from a few mistakes (too dry, too wet, mould) you'll find a recipe that works for you. as for the smell, some recipes smell more than others, and even the justaddwater stuff smells, so its best just to try different stuff out and see what you prefer.


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## robo mantis (Jul 25, 2006)

ok i'll try it


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## Jay (Jul 25, 2006)

Hmm. Not to do any promoting of specific people but I couldn't find any fruitflies cheaper and better than at http://www.joshsfrogs.com. He also sells insect deli containers. I bought some of these from him at the same time I bought my my fruitflies to save on shipping. I also make my own food for cultures. If you are in a pinch you can also use dried baby cerial (oatmeal or rice) and it will work alright.


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## robo mantis (Jul 25, 2006)

ok well i just dropped about 15 flies in and there are like 30- 50 mantids chasing the flies lol well anyway i was wondering if i sell them to U.S. only costomers and overnight shipping they may be fine? well when i put the flies in flies went everywhere so i put all the loose adults in a container with a slice of banana will that make a small culture? (they aren't past first shed yet)


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## Rick (Jul 25, 2006)

> ok well i just dropped about 15 flies in and there are like 30- 50 mantids chasing the flies lol well anyway i was wondering if i sell them to U.S. only costomers and overnight shipping they may be fine? well when i put the flies in flies went everywhere so i put all the loose adults in a container with a slice of banana will that make a small culture? (they aren't past first shed yet)


Nah I doubt that will make a culture. Buy yourself some of the medium and just add water and yeast. Get a container and put flies in there with the medium. It's the easiest way. Overnight shipping in teh US will be fine if you pack them like I told ya.


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## robo mantis (Jul 25, 2006)

ok so you think they could survive shipping?


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## robo mantis (Jul 26, 2006)

so that means i can ship them now like sell them?


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## Rick (Jul 26, 2006)

> ok so you think they could survive shipping?


People ship them all the time and they are fine. This time of year when it's hot overnight shipping is pretty much the only way to go to ensure survival.


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## robo mantis (Jul 26, 2006)

ok sounds good i will put them up for sale is $5.00 a good price?


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## Rick (Jul 26, 2006)

Maybe go through the classifieds and see what others are charging.


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## robo mantis (Jul 26, 2006)

i would say $5.00 and for 5 mantids $20.00


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## robo mantis (Jul 27, 2006)

is that to pricey?


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## Rick (Jul 27, 2006)

Seems about right. I don't know anything about that species though. See if they sell and if not you may have to reduce it.


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## robo mantis (Jul 27, 2006)

no one is offering people sell ooths like crazy because they have to many but some people don't want ooths because to many nymphs so i can selling nymphs way easier to care for that like 50


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## Mantis Keeper (Jul 29, 2006)

Just a little help in case your fruit fly culture runs out too quickly, this time of year there should be tons of tiny insects outside. Just turn on your porch light at night and you should get tons of things like little leafhoppers and such around your light, also very small moths and flies come too. It's easy to catch them and also cheaper than buying flies.


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## robo mantis (Jul 29, 2006)

ok i'll try it


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