How to find out what mantids are native to my area/

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jebbewocky

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I live in west Michigan, and I'd like to keep local, native mantids.

I don't really intend on going out and just catching them, but I'm having a hard time find what species are native to this area.

And, just to make things easier, for my purposes, established foreign species count as 'native' for my definition, but I'd prefer something 'truly native.'

Any ideas?

 
Not exactly sure since I dont' live there but you most likely have chinese mantis, carolina mantis, and maybe european mantis.

 
dont think carolinas live in michigan but I know that europeans live here and never seen a chinese mantis I have heard they do live in michigan too and never seen anything but europeans in all my years and lived in michigan all of my life!

 
Massaman must know then, take his word for it!
wink.gif


 
Alright. That at least gives me something to go on, I wasn't even really sure where to look, lol.

I'm somewhat surprised we don't have any "truly native" species, but that happens. It's of course also possible the native species were wiped out by the Chinese/European mantids and we never knew about it I suppose.

Thanks guys!

I'll look into the care of Chinese, European, and Carolina mantids and see about ordering ootheca. :)

 
I'd be very surprised if chinese mantis was not found there. I grew up in IL and they were there. But of course I don't live there so take the word of the guy who does.

 
Rick said:
I'd be very surprised if chinese mantis was not found there. I grew up in IL and they were there. But of course I don't live there so take the word of the guy who does.
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I'll look into it a bit more and see. My thing is, I might want to release some of them into the wild as they grow up and I don't want to release non-established species. If Europeans are here, then that's what I'll go with.

I like the look of the Chinese mantids better, but if we aren't sure if they are established, then probably best not to have them.

 
well read somewhere they were found in michigan but never seen them where I lived in michigan and lived in Saginaw most of my life and never seen any chinese and now I live in sanford with the same deal only seen europeans!But I too want to see some chinese around and its not against the law to release chinese in ones garden or yard being a one of the native species to the United States!

 
massaman said:
well read somewhere they were found in michigan but never seen them where I lived in michigan and lived in Saginaw most of my life and never seen any chinese and now I live in sanford with the same deal only seen europeans!But I too want to see some chinese around and its not against the law to release chinese in ones garden or yard being a one of the native species to the United States!
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Good point. I might get an ooth sometime late next month, after we move. I'd probably let them cannibalize on each other for awhile to get the numbers down until they get to a more manageable population, and size. Or is that frowned on in this hobby? I know for T's it can be. >_>

 
its not you can have them eat each other till there is a good number to manage or just release a few and keep the rest if there is a big hatching and it all depends on how you want to raise them!

 
I got at least 7 ooths that I am trying to hatch out 5 of them I ordered little over a week ago and had them sitting outside to try to hatch but the weather been so screwy that I decided to take the ooths inside and try to hatch them and release them outside!

 
jebbewocky said:
I live in west Michigan, and I'd like to keep local, native mantids.

I don't really intend on going out and just catching them, but I'm having a hard time find what species are native to this area.

And, just to make things easier, for my purposes, established foreign species count as 'native' for my definition, but I'd prefer something 'truly native.'

Any ideas?
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I live in Wisconsin and I have never seen a wild mantis at all. :'(

Apparantly they live far north as Green Bay so I would assume they can live in Michigan. They are probably Chinese and European mantids.

 
One thing occurs to me: For newly hatched nymphs--will they even be able, or be prone to cannibalizing? I'd hate to buy an ooth, assume they will cannibalize, and then it turns out they don't or can't and they all starve.

 
Mr.Mantid said:
I live in Wisconsin and I have never seen a wild mantis at all. :'(

Apparantly they live far north as Green Bay so I would assume they can live in Michigan. They are probably Chinese and European mantids.
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I just moved from WI near LaCrosse a few weeks ago. I have seen several Chinese Mantids in my yard over the past couple of years. Actually they were flying up to my deck to get the moths at my porch light. :lol: Of course that was late summer after they had reached adult stage. Keep watching for them! They are in Wisconsin too!

Mikey

 
Mikey said:
I just moved from WI near LaCrosse a few weeks ago. I have seen several Chinese Mantids in my yard over the past couple of years. Actually they were flying up to my deck to get the moths at my porch light. :lol: Of course that was late summer after they had reached adult stage. Keep watching for them! They are in Wisconsin too!

Mikey
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I live real close to La Crosse!!

 
jebbewocky said:
Good point. I might get an ooth sometime late next month, after we move. I'd probably let them cannibalize on each other for awhile to get the numbers down until they get to a more manageable population, and size. Or is that frowned on in this hobby? I know for T's it can be. >_>
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You should probably get some fruit flys though, it seems my Chinese nymphs enjoy fruit flys more than the siblings. They are not too expensive either for flightless ones or you could probably just raise some of your own too.

 

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