wereshark
New member
Hello all!
I stumbled across this forum, thanks in part to google, but mostly by my drive to find out as much information as I possibly can about something I've become interested in. I've always loved all things living, for the most part, which led me to a degree in Biology that sadly never really panned out to anything useful as a stand alone career. I currently reside in southern California in the "Inland Empire", near San Bernadino.
My curiosity in mantids started about few months ago, when there was an neat promo on woot.com that featured InsectLore's preying mantis kit geared toward kids. I have two little daughter that are in their curious stage in life and I figure I'd introduce them to praying mantids and other beneficial creatures. I got the kit and then got the mail away ootheca, which then prompted me to realize I knew absolutely nothing about how to properly care for the nymphs once they hatched. The kit while great for viewing are hardly what I'd describe as the ideal habitat for any insect, much less praying mantids. The ootheca haven't hatched fortunately since the nights here are still kind of cold, but I intend to raise them as properly as possible, both for my children's enjoyment and my piece of mind that I'm giving the mantids a proper shot at life. I've raised a myriad of odd and exotic small pets in my own childhood, such as fish, birds, mice, snakes, lizards, turtles,scorpions and a tarantula. I guess it never occurred to me that a praying mantis would make a wonderful pet, until now. I figure I'd try to absorb as much of the veteran advice of the forums to make my mantis experience for the whole family a good one!
I stumbled across this forum, thanks in part to google, but mostly by my drive to find out as much information as I possibly can about something I've become interested in. I've always loved all things living, for the most part, which led me to a degree in Biology that sadly never really panned out to anything useful as a stand alone career. I currently reside in southern California in the "Inland Empire", near San Bernadino.
My curiosity in mantids started about few months ago, when there was an neat promo on woot.com that featured InsectLore's preying mantis kit geared toward kids. I have two little daughter that are in their curious stage in life and I figure I'd introduce them to praying mantids and other beneficial creatures. I got the kit and then got the mail away ootheca, which then prompted me to realize I knew absolutely nothing about how to properly care for the nymphs once they hatched. The kit while great for viewing are hardly what I'd describe as the ideal habitat for any insect, much less praying mantids. The ootheca haven't hatched fortunately since the nights here are still kind of cold, but I intend to raise them as properly as possible, both for my children's enjoyment and my piece of mind that I'm giving the mantids a proper shot at life. I've raised a myriad of odd and exotic small pets in my own childhood, such as fish, birds, mice, snakes, lizards, turtles,scorpions and a tarantula. I guess it never occurred to me that a praying mantis would make a wonderful pet, until now. I figure I'd try to absorb as much of the veteran advice of the forums to make my mantis experience for the whole family a good one!
I too , have ordered from InsectLore. I am pleased with their butterflies, ladybugs, and toys, but haven't ordered the ootheca because I can pick those up down the street at Sears garden gate. 
