Looking for big, exciting, easy mantids for exhibits

[tsukineko9]

I am a curator at a seasonal insectarium (open May - October) in Michigan, and I am looking for some big, exciting, easy to take care of communal mantids for our 2011 season. I am a little leery of Deroplatys desiccata given that I tried them twice and both times they died on me after refusing to eat anything except each other, however, I am willing to try them again if need be. The exhibits we have to house them in are 1'D x 2'W x 3'H. Shipping would take place in April. Right now I am looking for quotes, offers, and suggestions. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

- Diana

PS - I do have a permit to import insects from anywhere within the United States.

 

[LauraMG]

Ghosts would probably be a good choice for you (Phyllocrania paradoxa). They're communal and easy and AWESOME looking when they get bigger. I'm incubating an ootheca right now

 

[JoeCapricorn]

I might have Deroplatys lobata nymphs in the future. I got three nymphs from this species and all three reached adult hood with no problems - first species I had to do that. They have an awesome appearance and a sweet temperament.

 

[hierodula]

I might have Deroplatys lobata nymphs in the future. I got three nymphs from this species and all three reached adult hood with no problems - first species I had to do that. They have an awesome appearance and a sweet temperament.

Perhaps Gongylus Gongylodes.The Violin Mantis they are also communal and get a good 4 inches.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yes, both ghosts and gongies would be good choices, with the former being more endearing (they do a "swaying" dance!) and the gongies larger and flashier. You will probably lose some of either to cannibalism if they are housed together, and they must be separated on reaching adulthood.

As a matter of interest, does your transportation permit ask you to give the name and address of anyone you buy from? I suspect that a lot of small sellers without permits would be reluctant to have this information passed on to a government agency.

 

[tsukineko9]

While Ghost mantids are really cool, they are unfortunately too small for the size exhibit we have, unless we were able to put at least 30 of them together. The Violin mantids are much larger and more dramatic, so those would work better. Would anyone have them as adults/subadults come April? And could 10-15 of them be kept together in a tank 1'D x 2'W x 3'H?

 

[tsukineko9]

Yes, both ghosts and gongies would be good choices, with the former being more endearing (they do a "swaying" dance!) and the gongies larger and flashier. You will probably lose some of either to cannibalism if they are housed together, and they must be separated on reaching adulthood.

As a matter of interest, does your transportation permit ask you to give the name and address of anyone you buy from? I suspect that a lot of small sellers without permits would be reluctant to have this information passed on to a government agency.

1) If I kept them well fed on a regular schedule, would that reduce my risk of cannibalism?

2) I don't believe my permit asks me to give the name and address of people I buy from. It hasn't in the past. I have a PPQ USDA-APHIS permit through my place of work that allows me to import insects from any of the contiguous 48.