Silver Bark Mantis

[JoshTopp]

I found a website selling Silver Bark Mantids (Gonatista grisea). The breeder, I believe her name is Sahra Elliot, Claims that this is the rarest US species, and she is the only person breeding them. I have not heard of them before and I am wondering if anyone has other info on them? Is this a deal I should jump on while they are still rare?

 

[hortus]

those are some awsome looking mantids i did a google search for pics

 

[Tapos]

i have had contact with her. she is very helpful on breeding and care questions. she has told me the mantis you seek is very hard to keep in captivity.

 

[Ian]

I think I have also had contact with the same lady...she is selling quite a few other mantids and ooths right?

 

[Samzo]

They look like p.affinis and some kind of bark mantis cross breed lol they look cool

 

[jandl2204]

I recall someone offering me 2 ooths of the species Gonatista grisea however, i also remember they left something to be desired when i googled them.

Regards, Lee..........

What kind of price have people offered them at?

 

[Mantis Keeper]

I've bred them, The nymphs died because it was my first mantis and the ooth hatched earlier than anticipated and I didn't have any food. They are easy to feed though, the nymphs actually took small moths, water seemed to give the second ooth a few extra days of life(I still had been unable to procure FF), and then I learned that pine sticks fresh from log piles also gave you some time because they were eating and growing on things I hadn't even seen. Eventually, winter took it's tole on my food supply and they died. They are still hard to find, they are restricted to Florida and maybe some of the other south eastern US States. Very interesting species and the adults are easy to keep. The nymhs I guess were difficult. I did catch a couple of sub-adult mantids but unfortunately both were adults so I was unable to breed them. I'll let everyone know when I get more if interested. I just have to wait till spring. Anyone else in Florida(or planing a trip) you can find them on pine tree's, usually at about a 5 to 8 foot elevation. Males are more common.