Some Australian species that I kept while in Australia

[intheabyss]

So, I'm new here, and new to keeping mantises, but I am Australian, and I kept many invertebrates before I moved to the US. I've titled this post so that it's hopefully clear that these are all old photos, taken back in Australia. Enjoy!



Spiny Leaf Insects, adult pair mating



Spiny leaf insect, nymph



Spiny leaf insect, adult male



Spiny leaf insect, female moulting



Spiny leaf insect, pale pink coloring





Spiny leaf insect, adult male

 

[intheabyss]

CROWNED STICK INSECTS





Immature female





Immature male





Adult male



Adult pair



Adult female defensive display

 

[intheabyss]

GOLIATH STICK INSECT

I only had one of these: a female that I bought from a pet shop near my house. She was sub-adult when I got her, and I was happy to see her transform upon final moult. Beautiful colours... she also had vibrant magenta underneath her wings, but I never pissed her off enough to have her display.





Sub adult female









Adult female

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Wow, amazing critters that you can keep legally down there.

 

[Deacon]

intheabyss, I am in awe of all your beautiful stick insects with their little pugnacious faces! You must have loved your Goliath! As we gazed at your photos over and over, we couldn't help but notice you were entertaining your insects while studying---what---nuclear physics? Thanks you for sharing your photos!

So, now you have mantids?

 

[intheabyss]

Wow, amazing critters that you can keep legally down there.

Yes, these are all native species to Australia! It's illegal to have any foreign ones. I found a beautiful titan stick insect in a tree just outside my house in Sydney once, when I was collecting leaves for my pets! (I'll put up photos of her). And I know that there were Goliaths living in the area too, though I never spotted one personally. We're lucky to have so many impressive species in such abundance.

I have a question -- why is it legal to have exotic mantises, but not exotic phasmids here? Is there less chance that the mantises will survive in the wild and pose a threat to the ecosystem, than the phasmids?

intheabyss, I am in awe of all your beautiful stick insects with their little pugnacious faces! You must have loved your Goliath! As we gazed at your photos over and over, we couldn't help but notice you were entertaining your insects while studying---what---nuclear physics? Thanks you for sharing your photos!

So, now you have mantids?

aaaaah I love them, too!!! Thank you

hahaa yeah, it was quantum field theory... I was doing my PhD, and being surrounded by little friends helped a lot. One thing I like about stick insects is that they force you to exercise... you have to regularly go out for a walk to collect leaves and enjoy nature for a bit. Kinda like having a dog (you can tell I've never had a dog).

Yes, since I've been living in Pittsburgh I thought I'd give mantids a try. I've always loved them, looking like zen aliens and having staring contests. I figured since all the leaves fall off the trees here in Autumn (doesn't happen in Australia!), and all the snow... it would be impossible to keep phasmids.

 

[Mantis_M]

beautiful pics!

Nice bugs  

 

[KevinsWither]

Australia though, they have the blessings of having there native insects get big and poisonous. Also isn't it illegal in Australia to have any exotic insect too?