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[Christian]

Hi.

I feel I have to add something. These mantids are not close to extinction or something. As long as there will be rainforests of a certain size left, they will survive. Look at the dried insect traders homepages. They sell them regularly, not to say in amounts. Toxodera/Paratoxodera are rarer then other species as such, because they are rainforest species.

Breeding them in captivity will not change anything about their possible threat. All people who want to engage themselves in conservation should help save the rainforest. This will be more useful than any other thing. Breeding these taxa in captivity would simply 1. satisfy our curiosity and 2. may help understanding their life history. That's all.

Greetings,

Christian

 

[Leah]

I've just got around to reading this thread, and I am appalled. Healthy "debate" is encouraged here, but flatly negating someone's field of expertise, will NOT be tolerated. How many entomologists do you see in a typical forum? How often do you have the opportunity to actually TALK to people like this? Not often, because other people get upset when they believe their "expertise" is being questioned, and run others off.

This is not a forum for "my stick is bigger than your stick." Keep it professional, or keep it to yourself. Bottom line. Consider this fair warning...