grob
Well-known member
Hi everybody,
My name is Rob and I'm from South Florida. I have two teenage daughters and I'm trying to get us all into raising mantids. I've ordered a few "starter kits" from the internet and the "keeping aliens" book. I want to be sure to have good info so we get off to a good start.
I've read a thread here on Gonatista grisea and I'm really excited to try and find and culture this species. Really good info in the thread, thanks already!
I was once a budding biologist and physicist but bailed out. Now I work as a computer guy for a university biology department. But I did spend many ours sweep netting through weedy roadsides, and I wish I wasn't such a beetle snob at the time as I know I came across lots of mantids. Collecting beetles you just learn how to kill things, although later I got into ants and beetles that live with them and I did keep some ant and beetle colonies for a bit.
Whenever I get into something I see it becoming a life long obsession. I will be the expert on (fill in the blank). Nothing has panned out yet, but this time might be it! Well, my fleeting obsessions are sort of a joke to those who know me. I hope mantids will be different!
And just to be clear, I'm big on captive bred everything. I am not opposed to catching some initial breeding stock, but I only collect from roadsides and vacant lots. Seriously, that's where the good stuff is, I found a new-to-this-hemisphere beetle at a light trap by a backroad and a newly introduced ant in a lot 100 yards from my house. That and I hate dealing with any kind of park ranger person. I've had permits and done it in the past, never again. And I doubt I'll run into any Idolomantis in the weeds here. Captive breeding is where it's at!
Anyway, a long introduction from someone who has yet to feed his first nymph, but this looks like a great group and I look forward to reading more. If there's something in particular you want me to keep an eye out for, let me know, I''m glad to be your hands in the field for serious mantis people. I've been looking along canals for a few hours and nothing yet. Maybe it's just because it's dry and February, but after reading here I will keep looking and I think I will concentrate on lichen covered oaks in weedy areas.
Thanks for reading, I'll let you know how my first mantids go!
My name is Rob and I'm from South Florida. I have two teenage daughters and I'm trying to get us all into raising mantids. I've ordered a few "starter kits" from the internet and the "keeping aliens" book. I want to be sure to have good info so we get off to a good start.
I've read a thread here on Gonatista grisea and I'm really excited to try and find and culture this species. Really good info in the thread, thanks already!
I was once a budding biologist and physicist but bailed out. Now I work as a computer guy for a university biology department. But I did spend many ours sweep netting through weedy roadsides, and I wish I wasn't such a beetle snob at the time as I know I came across lots of mantids. Collecting beetles you just learn how to kill things, although later I got into ants and beetles that live with them and I did keep some ant and beetle colonies for a bit.
Whenever I get into something I see it becoming a life long obsession. I will be the expert on (fill in the blank). Nothing has panned out yet, but this time might be it! Well, my fleeting obsessions are sort of a joke to those who know me. I hope mantids will be different!
And just to be clear, I'm big on captive bred everything. I am not opposed to catching some initial breeding stock, but I only collect from roadsides and vacant lots. Seriously, that's where the good stuff is, I found a new-to-this-hemisphere beetle at a light trap by a backroad and a newly introduced ant in a lot 100 yards from my house. That and I hate dealing with any kind of park ranger person. I've had permits and done it in the past, never again. And I doubt I'll run into any Idolomantis in the weeds here. Captive breeding is where it's at!
Anyway, a long introduction from someone who has yet to feed his first nymph, but this looks like a great group and I look forward to reading more. If there's something in particular you want me to keep an eye out for, let me know, I''m glad to be your hands in the field for serious mantis people. I've been looking along canals for a few hours and nothing yet. Maybe it's just because it's dry and February, but after reading here I will keep looking and I think I will concentrate on lichen covered oaks in weedy areas.
Thanks for reading, I'll let you know how my first mantids go!
