Welcome to mantisland (pic heavy)

[lion]

Mantids jumped into this snake cage and made it their happy home.

Sorry I can't i.d. the species but I know there is more than one type.

 

[lancaster1313]

That is cute. You definitely have more than one species in there. The 2nd and third pic look similar to Tenodera, but the 4th and ootheca are something else.

I like the setup. Did you build it?

 

[Samzo]

That set-up is amazing! I wish I lived in a country where I could have that outside...

 

[Schloaty]

Not sure you do have more than one....I see one spent ooth in there. That ooth could have spawned all of them! Looks like a S. carolina ooth to me....

Edit:

Just noticed your location is South Africa...

So perhaps my ID is just a wee tad off. :blink:

 

[Rick]

I have thought about doing something like that. Enclosure a bush or plant in the yard and let mantids go in there. I've wondered if keeping orchids outside would work here during the summer. It is really hot and humid.

 

[lancaster1313]

I have thought about doing something like that. Enclosure a bush or plant in the yard and let mantids go in there. I've wondered if keeping orchids outside would work here during the summer. It is really hot and humid.

Now, I want to try something like that, I am just worried about how I will keep the ants out. The ants here seem to find and attack just about anything that is alive. I have some net enclosures hanging up on my porch, and one in a tree, but something large and on the ground would be awesome.

 

[hibiscusmile]

whatever they are , cute is the first word!

 

[Schloaty]

Hey Rick,

In NC, sure, you could do that. Most lowland tropicals do very well in NC during the "growing season."

You would just have to moderate the sunlight to accomodate whatever orchids you want in there....that would be the real issue. Some orchids may like strong sun, while other will be fried by it. You have to know what you have, and what they like as far as that goes.

 

[PiranhaMantis]

Very interesting...perhaps some Miomantis sp?

 

[lion]

I'm kinda lucky the ants havn't messed with my cage. My biggest concern is having moles dig into the cage and release the other guys :donatello: .

The cage was built for $200 with my garden boy (landscape engineer and maintenance manager :sweatdrop: ).

 

[Ricardo]

Some of them look like miomantis paykulli

 

[patrickfraser]

I'm kinda lucky the ants havn't messed with my cage. My biggest concern is having moles dig into the cage and release the other guys :donatello: .

The cage was built for $200 with my garden boy (landscape engineer and maintenance manager :sweatdrop: ).

I wish my garden boy was only $200.