My experience collecting in Hong Kong and Malaysia

[Christian]

Of course not everyone can do such trips. But then you should appreciate the effort of those ones who do by congratulating them to the stuff they found and not by criticizing what they've missed.

 

[Katnapper]

I think Yen's trip was a great success!! We are extremely lucky to have someone who does have the means, and who is actually willing to go and spend his time and resources... not only to search for mantids, but to care for and breed what he finds with the intention of sharing these great species within the hobby to everyone! Not to mention the risks and problems he faces doing it.

 

[beckyl92]

 

[yen_saw]

I'm so surprised that you managed to get all those containers over here!

Yes i am glad all mantis made it alright. They flew with me from Malaysia - Hong Kong - Los Angeles - Houston. That's lot of travelling for the mantis

maybe next time on another trip he can go for the larger mantis species or those that are rare and would be a find indeed!

yes maybe next time. To hunt for those extra rare specimen, I estimate one will need to continue stay on for weeks, if not months, plus a pair of extremely keen eyes and luck too, or a group of people with extra keen eyes can get it done in shorter period of time. I have a full time job in states(not related to bugs) so staying abroad for a long time is not possible. Maybe one day when I retired in Malaysia and still physically fit I might give it a try.

I think Yen's trip was a great success!! We are extremely lucky to have someone who does have the means, and who is actually willing to go and spend his time and resources... not only to search for mantids, but to care for and breed what he finds with the intention of sharing these great species within the hobby to everyone! Not to mention the risks and problems he faces doing it.

Becky, i actually have lot of fun doing things not related to mantis at all you know I have actually seen some rarer mantis during the trip, but they are either dead specimen or from the farm (not for sale). I was thinking to put this pics on the other thread since it has nothing to do with my bug hunting but will share it here too.

These specimen were offered on the Butterfly farm in Cameron Highland, I bought a few of them - relatively cheap. Sorry for the blurly pic the mantis is wrapped in plastic.

Theopropas elegans

P. davisoni

Toxodera?

Paratoxodera?

The one is from KL butterfly park. If there is a price tag I would have bought it.

compare to the size of my son's hand

Nice one

and this live D. truncata adult female from Penang Butterfly Farm

 

[MingMing]

wow... is it legal to buy dead insects and bring them back home? what about ooths??? did you bring any??

 

[revmdn]

Yet again, wonderful.

 

[yen_saw]

During my stay in Los Angeles, Francisco - who is a member here - also showed me some of his dead mantis specimen that are seldom seen in the hobby during my 2 day visit in LA (after flying in from HK). i will show more animals Francisco kept in the other thread later.

Choeradodis sp

D. truncata male

brancsikia sp

Nice!

Rhombodera sp

No idea...

This one look like the mantis i saw in Cameron highland... was it Psychomantis?

Another sp i have no idea

Check out the metallic mantis!

Well that's all folks....... I am currently planning a trip to Florida, not sure if it will materialize, we shall see. Thanks for checking out my hunting trip in this thread i hope you have fun going through it as much as I did in the wild.

 

[yen_saw]

wow... is it legal to buy dead insects and bring them back home? what about ooths??? did you bring any??

I have no idea about the dead mantis legitimate issue sorry. It is definitely easier bringing in ooth than live mantis.

Yet again, wonderful.

Thanks glad you like it.

 

[revmdn]

Neat-o!

 

[pohchunyee]

Thanks for sharing Yen. Your thread makes me feel like I was in the trip with you. So nice and all the collection you have... OMG!!

 

[Christian]

The first Toxodera is T. fimbriata. The second one is difficult to see because of the angle, but I suggest Metatoxodera subparallela. The third one (from the farm) is T. beieri. The group was revised recently, there are 5 genera now with 17 species.

The shield mantids of Francisco are Choeradodis rhombicollis. The rotten Brancsikia is a B. aeroplana nymph. I also saw Ceratocrania macra, Humbertiella sp., an Idolomorpha nymph and Ambivia undata. "No idea" is an Acanthops sp. The following is a Vates sp. male (has nothing to do with Psychomantis). The last male is not easy, Plistospilota or Calospilota sp.

 

[Gurd]

Thanks for sharing Yen, maybe 1 day I will get a chance to go hunting.

Christian your knowledge about mantids is imense

 

[chun]

thanks for sharing, really enjoyed your photos, really miss the good food back in malaysia, hopefully next year.

i remember the Penang Butterfly Farm, they had a D. dessicata and T. elegans on display 5 years ago, along with gazillion 'manfaced bugs'. Glad to see you had a good time

 

[Rick]

Once again this thread delivers.

 

[agent A]

This is an example of how cool Mantidforum can be. We have met an excellent person here who shows us a great diversity within the mantis kingdom.

 

[kamakiri]

Wow. Thanks to Yen for sharing so many pictures...and to Christian for all the IDs. Most impressive.

 

[Frack]

Awsome pics! I really liked the ones of the roaches lol

 

[gadunka888]

This is an example of how cool Mantidforum can be. We have met an excellent person here who shows us a great diversity within the mantis kingdom.

+1!

 

[Eldur]

my god this is so awesome! You´ve just been in bugheaven, I would love to visit a country like that one day, so many insects to see! Love your photos, they are too cool

 

[massaman]

too bad you could not talk to some of those dealers of the dead mantises like the Parymenopus Davisoni and make a deal if he can get a hold of live specimens or even a ooth and try to culture those!