Native Species to WA, USA

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Deacon said:
Jgod and DeShawn,

So the Chinese mantids are being sold here---either they fail to thrive in our area or we should be seeing them, right? Haven't run across one in 48 years in Tacoma---not saying they aren't here though.

But, if friends have found the European mantids here (three minutes from my house) and in Packwood, of all places, how have they gotten here? Up the coast from California? I doubt they got here via the Rocky Mtns and Cascade Mtns. Or by human hands?

So, if I were to find a mantis while walking the dog (I always look but never find) would it be okay to release the Chinese or European mantis here in WA?

I only own six species now that can't be released so I don't want to breed them 'cause what would I do with the ooths? Hey, Jgod, are you close to Tacoma? I'd give them to you. PM me if that's a possibility, okay? I've got a couple females ready to erupt, haha.
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I think the problem with spotting few of them on walks has more do to with pesticides and cutting back wild growth. I don't know if we could say for sure that the problem is they are unable to sustain themselves because of the region alone. I plan to check out some field areas around my house to see if I can spot any ooths.

The T. sinensis seem to be the only type garden stores are offering as pest control. I don't know how it's decided that these are ok to release while other species are not. I think it may have more to do with them already being naturalized here. Also, since they have one generation a year and maintain their own population (cannibalism) they may be a low risk insect in terms of releasing into the wild. That still makes me wonder about other species like C. California, S. Carolina and M. Religiosa. One of my guesses is that the T. sinensis produce a lot of ooths that go on to hatch lots of nymphs so in the capitalist sense they're a good investment. Lol.

I'm a couple hours south of Tacoma. I appreciate the offer but I have a T. sinensis ooth thats been incubating for 2 weeks so far. I'll be covered in a little nymphs in a few weeks. :)

Thank you for your reply.
 
I'm not yet brave enough to deal with ooths and all that they require (like heat) but mostly having to deal with housing all the hatchlings (unless I just let them eat each other until the numbers got few enough to manage but that'd be a true lack of animal husbandry I think...)

I hope you get lots of nymphs! Enjoy!

 
Deacon said:
I'm not yet brave enough to deal with ooths and all that they require (like heat) but mostly having to deal with housing all the hatchlings (unless I just let them eat each other until the numbers got few enough to manage but that'd be a true lack of animal husbandry I think...)

I hope you get lots of nymphs! Enjoy!
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I've been gathering materials and lots of stuff from the dollar store. 32oz containers, modified the lids and used a girls tutu as very thin meshing. There is a local pet store that sells fruit flies and I'll probably get them soon so they hatch enough to feed my hungry nymphs. It is a lot of work and I have a lot of respect for people that can raise several different species to adulthood.

I hope I get lots of nymphs too. I've even got my gf excited about the idea so I'll have a partner to help feed and maintain my horde :)

Thank you.

 
Anyone's opinion on Stagmomantis Limbata? I know they're more Arizona and California but from what I gather they get around in the West.. I'm in Oregon and am trying to hatch some, originally wanted Stagmomantis Californica but haven't gotten my paws on any yet. They sell Chinese in the feed stores here -_-"

 
Soir_Noir said:
Anyone's opinion on Stagmomantis Limbata? I know they're more Arizona and California but from what I gather they get around in the West.. I'm in Oregon and am trying to hatch some, originally wanted Stagmomantis Californica but haven't gotten my paws on any yet. They sell Chinese in the feed stores here -_-"
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http://bugguide.net/node/view/149885

"Range

Texas to southern California, north into Colorado and Utah, south into Mexico."

It seems like they prefer a dryer climate. If you live in Eastern Oregon you might be able to spot a Litaneutria minor (Ground Mantis)
But even this species seems to stop around California.

The Tenodera sinensis (Chinese Mantis) are the only species I've been able to find at physical stores in this area as well.

As other posters have said, if you're in doubt DO NOT release insects into the wild.
 
Fine by me. Mine haven't hatched yet anyways, I'll just have them join the club as hobby mantids, which I don't release. Again I'd just come across some info saying their range occasionally came this far. So does anyone happen to know anybody raising native Stagmomantis Californica, or any other more likely native species? I've been wanting to get ahold of native species and release them (ironically) to restore their numbers vs the Chinese being released around here thanks to agriculture/feed stores selling them.

 
I am personally in Gresham, OR. Again haven't seen any in my area except Chinese mantids so would need to find a native species from a breeder+raise to release outside to bring back their numbers.

 
Jgod said:
I've been gathering materials and lots of stuff from the dollar store. 32oz containers, modified the lids and used a girls tutu as very thin meshing. There is a local pet store that sells fruit flies and I'll probably get them soon so they hatch enough to feed my hungry nymphs.
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Are they Drosophila melanogaster, or Drosophila hydei? Even if an occasional aggressive L1 nymph might take down a D. hydei, that doesn't mean all of them will, and so many might starve.


Soir_Noir said:
I am personally in Gresham, OR. Again haven't seen any in my area except Chinese mantids so would need to find a native species from a breeder+raise to release outside to bring back their numbers.
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There are not many native species in Oregon to my knowledge... only maybe S. californica. And is Litaneutria there? Is there a native species to Oregon?

 
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happy1892 said:
Are they Drosophila melanogaster, or Drosophila hydei? Even if an occasional aggressive L1 nymph might take down a D. hydei, that doesn't mean all of them will, and so many might starve.

Luckily I have access to both sizes. Thank you for the info though.
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happy1892 said:
Are they Drosophila melanogaster, or Drosophila hydei? Even if an occasional aggressive L1 nymph might take down a D. hydei, that doesn't mean all of them will, and so many might starve.



There are not many native species in Oregon to my knowledge... only maybe S. californica. And is Litaneutria there? Is there a native species to Oregon?
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Litaneutria would only be in the more arid parts if it is

 
Not too arid here. I'll just have to cross my fingers and hope someone someday sells a stagmomantis californica ooth that I can hatch+raise, as that seems to be the only species everyone agrees could/should easily be in Oregon.

 
Soir_Noir said:
Not too arid here. I'll just have to cross my fingers and hope someone someday sells a stagmomantis californica ooth that I can hatch+raise, as that seems to be the only species everyone agrees could/should easily be in Oregon.
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Don't forget Stagmomantis limbata, too. They are not native I guess, but mantises don't cause that much harm to the wild, right? Personally, I would not release any mantises if I was in your state, since I can't find any that are native... Litaneutria minor I would have expected to be native to Oregon since their range is from southern edge of British Columbia and California.

 
I had seen some info regarding limbata ranging as far as Oregon but as discussed in prior comments forum peoples are saying they shouldn't be ranging this far (+I trust dedicated mantis people over various sources online), so to be safe I'm not releasing limbata. Haven't seen any info regarding litaneutria in Oregon (aside from speculations) so that also makes me nervous enough to not go after them, but everyone seems to agree Stagmomantis Californica would be native, so I'll just have to watch out for someone selling them so I can get my paws on some and raise them. I only want to release for-sure native species, and I only want to do that to combat the fact that farmers etc. are buying+releasing Chinese. I'd rather have a native species out there, wouldn't you?

 
Soir_Noir said:
I only want to release for-sure native species, and I only want to do that to combat the fact that farmers etc. are buying+releasing Chinese. I'd rather have a native species out there, wouldn't you?
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If they were native, I thought they would not easily be wiped out. S. limbata are kind of close to Oregon:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/741243 (Placer County, CA)

But S. californica has been spreading, and are now in southern Idaho at least.

 
I actually found an article by OSU that states Californica are found in Oregon (they also mention Chinese, but obviously I don't want to encourage their numbers). I gather from various sources that Limbata seem to be sneaking in and I suppose it wouldn't be terribly unnatural to release them, but seems Californica is the most verified native species here+preferable. Either would be far more natural than Chinese, who have taken over in my area :(

 
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