Greetings mantidforum friends!

[RevWillie]

I have seen 3-4 species of wild orchids on San Juan Island, Puget Sound. Florida has several cool varieties of wild orchids but you are right: the best place to find them is the Fakahatchee Swamp which is full of gators, water moccasins, and poisonous spiders.

What mantis species are you going to be raising?

 

[lunarstorm]

I'm starting with an adult female h. parviceps. Already debating my next species, but I'm getting excited at the idea of raising nymphs and experiencing a full life cycle. At any rate, up next will probably be ghosts.

I'm starting to convert a wall/corner of my home office into a mantis palace and if/when I get supplies to monitor/control the humidity and temps, I'll try Idolomantis Diabolica and/or Orchids. I really dig the appearance of the orchid mantis but they don't seem to be very easy to obtain in the US currently. Next spring/summer I'll probably buy a Chinese ooth and release some into the wild.