Hello from Oregon!

[OregonMantis]

Just stopping in to learn about my new pets that should be hatching in the next couple weeks. 2 Chinese Praying Mantis ootheca. Having some trouble getting them oriented but I believe "zipper" down seems to be the ticket.

I'm setting up a 10 gallon aquarium for them to hatch in. Then they will deal with a spider mite infestation I'm currently dealing with.

Any advice for the new guy is always welcomed.

 

[D_Hemptress]

Welcome from California! :flowers:

 

[sally]

Welcome from northern Illinois Soon you will have a ton of mantises.

 

[BugLover]

Welcome!

 

[Meadow98684]

Welcome...also from Oregon!

 

[lancaster1313]

Welcome.

If you didn't think of it already, be sure to make the hatching container escape proof, not only for the mantids but for the feeders as well. The mantids will be very small but the feeders, even smaller.

A small hole that can be stoppered up when not in use is very helpful for feeding the little guys that will seem to overflow from the container when it is opened by the normal top.

 

[Paradoxica]

Welcome.

I would lose the bottle cap full of water (?) and add some paper towel to the bottom to hold humidity.

 

[aNisip]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[OregonMantis]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Bottle caps are removed from the tanks and replaced wiith damp sponge pieces.

I built the first parts of my hatching tank this evening. It will be 2 feet tall, 1 foot deep and 1 1/2 feet wide. The bottom will be plexiglass for sure as well as a wall or 2 depending on advice. Other walls are a tight mesh screen that should be fruit fly proof.

I will post a build thread.

 

[ScienceGirl]

Another Oregonian? Yes!!! We need more Pacific Northwesterners here on MantidForum. It's always nice to have "neighbors" on the forum who have the same climate, wild mantids, insect sightings, and experiences as you do.

I have a native ootheca right now, too.

Where did you get your ootheca's? Are they from captivity or bought from a supplier who bred them to be released as nymphs?

 

[OregonMantis]

I got them from a random seller on Amazon. I have witnessed wild Mantis as a child but was intimidated by their reputation so I wouldn't try to capture them. But as an adult I find myself becoming more curious about them and pest infestations in my garden last year drove me to desperate measures.

I'm glad to see so many Oregonians here too. I can type seen instead of saw and you guys wont think I talk/type funny.

 

[Rick]

Welcome

 

[sally]

I got them from a random seller on Amazon. I have witnessed wild Mantis as a child but was intimidated by their reputation so I wouldn't try to capture them. But as an adult I find myself becoming more curious about them and pest infestations in my garden last year drove me to desperate measures.

I'm glad to see so many Oregonians here too. I can type seen instead of saw and you guys wont think I talk/type funny.

Yous guys don't talk funny Try being from South Jersey lol

 

[Peter Clausen]

Oregon! The crocuses are up and last year's primroses too! I noticed tiny leaves on weeping willows and the plums which are also beginning to flower. Seems to me that spring is coming early this year and daylight savings is just around the corner. Welcome! I'm going collecting again tonight.

 

[OregonMantis]

I have been looking for wild Oothes since I got mine in the mail and learned what to look for. No luck yet but I'm not done trying.

Spring is almost here in the Willamette Valley. Buds in the trees and flowers popping up everywhere. Its a sunny 65 F. degrees here today.

 

[ScienceGirl]

Talk funny?! Well, I never!

Lol, I don't talk funny....

 

[Meadow98684]

We Oregonians might talk funny but we don't notice it...because we live here and are used to it. I'd be cool to have a New York or Baltimore type of accent though...lol

 

[OregonMantis]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. This is a great site with a lot of good information on it.