Gabrieloak67
Member
Hi, just discovered and joined this forum, amazing place.
I am almost 40 and from Devon , in the SW UK. I have kept mantids since I was around 8 , ever since an article in "Look and Learn" assured me that they could be fed on bits of fruit (my mum was insistent that I couldn't keep anything that required live food). I knew this was nonsense, showed my mum the article nonethless and got my first (Chinese) mantids shortly after. Been pretty much obsessed since then I guess. The variety of species available now is incredible. The knowledge base in here stunning and the photographs you guys take are beautiful.
I have kept a few species in the past ; Creoboter meleagris, Hierodula trimaculate, Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii , Gongylus gongyloids, Tenodera aridifolia sinensis plus various "average" looking mantids, described by the sales people as "African" or "large green". All have been wonderful to keep, fascinating but I think my fave has to be Creobroter: small, yet v hardy and quite voracious, attacking and eating anything at all, good breeders and so so pretty.
The only mantid I have at the moment is a lonely Sphrodomantis sp which I rescued from a Tiverton pet shop. Noone knew its species and so I have no idea. Never mind . Its appetite is small though so I think it's a male.. Also have some Euchomenella arriving next week and would love some Orchid mantids whenever anyone has nymphs for sale.
Anyway, hello to you all, Happy new Year etc and if there are any other mantid keepers in the SW UK I'd be keen get in touch.
I am almost 40 and from Devon , in the SW UK. I have kept mantids since I was around 8 , ever since an article in "Look and Learn" assured me that they could be fed on bits of fruit (my mum was insistent that I couldn't keep anything that required live food). I knew this was nonsense, showed my mum the article nonethless and got my first (Chinese) mantids shortly after. Been pretty much obsessed since then I guess. The variety of species available now is incredible. The knowledge base in here stunning and the photographs you guys take are beautiful.
I have kept a few species in the past ; Creoboter meleagris, Hierodula trimaculate, Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii , Gongylus gongyloids, Tenodera aridifolia sinensis plus various "average" looking mantids, described by the sales people as "African" or "large green". All have been wonderful to keep, fascinating but I think my fave has to be Creobroter: small, yet v hardy and quite voracious, attacking and eating anything at all, good breeders and so so pretty.
The only mantid I have at the moment is a lonely Sphrodomantis sp which I rescued from a Tiverton pet shop. Noone knew its species and so I have no idea. Never mind . Its appetite is small though so I think it's a male.. Also have some Euchomenella arriving next week and would love some Orchid mantids whenever anyone has nymphs for sale.
Anyway, hello to you all, Happy new Year etc and if there are any other mantid keepers in the SW UK I'd be keen get in touch.
