Hello from east TN!

violet · Jul 15, 2018

Hi, everyone! I am 26 and a mail carrier in east Tennessee. I have always loved music/art and the outdoors. When I was a kid, I had a bit of a fascination with dinosaur fossils and the ancient world. I have always had a love for insects and reptiles, as well. My fiance and I have done a vegetable/herb garden for the past few springs, and every year I have said I would get beneficial insects for it, but didn't until this year. Finally, I ordered 3 oothecas this year, and I am totally obsessed! I went from having 2 dogs and a cat, to having a sudden obsession with mantids and now I want a room full!

I've recently ordered more supplies for the mantids I have kept inside, as well as 2 ghost mantids(these look very interesting, and I love that they are communal). However, I'm a bit confused as to which species I have. The front of the bottle says, "Tenodera aridifolia sinensis," but the back of the bottle says, "May contain a small number of Carolina mantis(Stagmomantis carolina) oothecas. Does this mean they are field collected?? Seems a bit strange, but then I AM a noob! lol

River Dane · Jul 15, 2018

Welcome to the forums! Glad you were finally able to give mantids a shot. Depending on where and who you bought the ooths from, it is possible they were field collected. But from the pics, all ooths look to be Chinese to me.

Good luck with your new nymphs!

Ocelotbren · Jul 16, 2018

Welcome! I started with Chinese followed by ghost mantises too. And I agree that those pictures look like Chinese ooths.

Mantis Lady · Jul 16, 2018

Welcome

Rick · Jul 17, 2018

Welcome. You have T. sinensis, the non-native Chinese mantis.

I would encourage you not to release them however as they are not native. Instead try to find the Carolina mantis, a nice native.