Do People Ever Make Fun of You for Keeping Mantises?

[Mantis Man13]

When I kept mantises and brought my pet to school people would make fun of me back in fourth and fifth grade. They thought mantises were stupid. They would constantly tell me Hey look I found a mantis! And then they would show me where it was and there was nothing there, obviously doing that to fool me to be funny. Also, there was one person at school who killed a mantis  just for the fun of it when they found one. However, some of my friends did keep mantises when I taught them how and they enjoyed it very much. Have you had these experiences as well? I would like to know if I am the only one who has suffered through this.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

No, most of my friends find it really cool! But they do prank me about finding one!

 

[Mantis Lady]

My father think I am crazy to keep mantids as pet. My hubby don't like mantids. He think they are pests. He doesn't dare to pick up an escaped grasshopper

 

[Mantis Man13]

Lol mantises arent pests they are beneficial

 

[Mantis Lady]

Tell my hubby that

 

[MantisGirl13]

I've been teased about it before, but all in good fun. 

No, most of my friends find it really cool! But they do prank me about finding one!

Yeah, maybe next time your friend says he found an ooth, don't go over, or at least wear something that can get wet! Lol

- MantisGirl13 

 

[MrGhostMantis]

I've been teased about it before, but all in good fun. 

Yeah, maybe next time your friend says he found an ooth, don't go over, or at least wear something that can get wet! Lol

- MantisGirl13 

>:c

 

[Curiosity]

The only person outside of my family or an online forum that I'm interested in mantises just said "cool" and never mentioned it again. Granted, I said that right before lockdown began. 

Did any of your friends ever sort of convert and realize that mantises actually are pretty cool? 

 

[Mantis Man13]

Yeah I had like 6 who did but they all lost interest in the hobby within a year because their mantises all died because of mismolts. I had hatched some chinese mantis egg cases and Gave them to them but it was when I didn’t know much about mantises and so I gave them cages that were not well set up and didn’t have enough height for the mantis to molt so they mismolted. 

 

[Curiosity]

I've done that too. . . what your friends did I mean. My biggest problem with keeping mantises is the guilt.  

 

[Grapple_Apple]

Back in elementary I brought in one of my adult females to show off, and I did a live feeding demo as well. Needless to say, the whole class was very interested and I was the "kid who liked bugs" which I happily embraced! 

 

[Mantis Man13]

Curiosity there should be no guilt with keeping mantises as it is just as ok as keeping a dog or cat!

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

My brothers hated my mantises. Now I'm thinking of having one over summer and I don't expect them to be excited about the idea haha.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

No one questions my mantids (if they try, then they get buried in mantis pictures and information until they stop bothering me). Inexplicably, it is the cockroaches that I get the worst reactions about. 

Lol mantises arent pests they are beneficial

Depends on species and location. These Chinese mantids in the US can be brutal to other beneficials and pests alike. 

 

[Mantis Man13]

Well other mantises in the united states that are native eat beneficial insects too so whats your point? Just wondering because all mantises do that in every country.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Well other mantises in the united states that are native eat beneficial insects too so whats your point? Just wondering because all mantises do that in every country.

The Chinese mantids I find seem to target bees. Most mantids should not be considered beneficial because they are generalist predators, but there may be some that are a bit more specialized to eat certain pests. 

 

[Synapze]

My friends have started calling me Oogie Boogie, so I guess the answer is yes. 

Yet, when they come over they are fascinated at my little mantis zoo. Some have voiced interest in having one, but they can't get past the keeping feeders part of the hobby. 

 

[MantisMart]

My friends think it’s cool. There gonna buy some from me, although I feel like they won’t take care of the mantis well lol. We will see how it goes...

 

[MantisMart]

But honestly, just don't care about if they're gonna bully you for it. It's their own insecurities that is making them say that in the first place. Ignore it.