window sill mantis

[bulbophyllum]

Are there any mantis species that would do well, once its gets some size on it, as a free roaming widow sill sill mantis?  East facing window lots of plants.  Something hearty, not too expensive, likes room temperature, and rather sedentary.  Not a roamer.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I had an adult female Tenodera sinensis that spent a day roaming around on my bed, and she did not wander much on the bed. (This was unintentional. I kept forgetting she was on my bed and did not put her away. I am glad she did not lay an ooth on my bed!) I would strongly encourage using a native/naturalized species, especially if you are going to have “lots of plants.” The reason I think the plants would pose a risk is because the mantis could hide an ooth in the leaves. Also, using an un-mated female mantis is no guarantee of infertility. I had a Stagmomantis carolina that laid an ooth which hatched out small number of babies, but I kept good enough records to know that female had NEVER mated. Somehow, this mantis had accomplished facultative parthenogenesis. 

 

[hysteresis]

 

[MantisGirl13]

@The Mantis Menagerie Wow! 

@bulbophyllum Species that don't wander much might work. Maybe an adult female ghost? You don't want a gravid female of a large species because she could fall and rupture her abdomen if she tried to climb up the glass of the window. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Synapze]

Female Carolinas (Stagmomantis carolina) tend to stay in one area. As an added bonus, females can't fly... it's more of a jump. They'll usually live in a large house plant or indoor tree if fed enough. One of my Carolinas seems perfectly content living in my ficus tree.

 

[Mystymantis]

Personally I wouldn't let a mantis be somewhere unsupervised for long periods, you never know what might happen. Plus how would you feed it? Even more sedentary mantises like Carolina females might crawl around especially if there isn't enough food.

I would recommend if you do decide to do a windowsill mantis only do it with native species, such as Carolina or Chinese mantises to minimize any risk of them getting out and such.

Of course if you want to let your mantis sit out on a windowsill while you are watching or at least checking on it periodically throughout the day and then place it back in its home while you are not checking on it that would work fine.

 

[Mantis Lady]

In evening time 1 mantis here get the freedom to roam on my desk. But when i go to sleep, he/she goes back.

I had  1x lost a mantis a day long because I forgot to put her back in my home. The next day she was gone. I was looking for her, but no mantis to be seen. The next day I found her in a closet. So it better to keep an eye on a roaming mantis

 

[Sticky]

Double Shields are serious homebodies.

 

[MantisGirl13]

Double Shields are serious homebodies.

I haven't seen double shields for sale in a long time! Do you know of anyone who has them for sale?

- MantisGirl13

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I haven't seen double shields for sale in a long time! Do you know of anyone who has them for sale?

- MantisGirl13

I hadn’t really thought about it since I do not buy exotic mantids, but I cannot remember the last time I saw P. medioconstricta for sale. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I hadn’t really thought about it since I do not buy exotic mantids, but I cannot remember the last time I saw P. medioconstricta for sale. 

Ya, when I first joined the hobby, like 2 and a half years ago, DeShawn had them but they went fast and I wasn't able to get any.

- MantisGirl13

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Ya, when I first joined the hobby, like 2 and a half years ago, DeShawn had them but they went fast and I wasn't able to get any.

- MantisGirl13

I checked his website first. The last time I saw P. medioconstricta for sale was on his website. Their renown as an excellent beginner species probably contributes to the speed with which they sell out. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I checked his website first. The last time I saw P. medioconstricta for sale was on his website. Their renown as an excellent beginner species probably contributes to the speed with which they sell out. 

Ya, I wish more people were breeding them though!

- MantisGirl13

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Ya, I wish more people were breeding them though!

- MantisGirl13

I would love to breed them, but I was told by the USDA that they are illegal to own without permits. I hope to eventually be able to own them legally. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I would love to breed them, but I was told by the USDA that they are illegal to own without permits. I hope to eventually be able to own them legally. 

They are illegal to own without permits? I don't think that rule is very enforced and I don't think many people follow it, but I can see why they would make such a rule.

- MantisGirl13

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

They are illegal to own without permits? I don't think that rule is very enforced and I don't think many people follow it, but I can see why they would make such a rule.

- MantisGirl13

Yes, I was told by the senior entomologist at APHIS that they are illegal. The reasoning behind it is that they are generalist predators, and if they were introduced, they could indirectly harm plants by eating insects that the plants have symbiotic ties with. No mantis seller in the US who sells to people without permits has the proper permits to do so. The permits require to distribute to non-permitted individuals, which are called commercial biological supply permits, are unobtainable. The permits to own exotic mantids require containment facilities. The rule is not enforced at all, but I follow it. I am hoping to get the permits and try to assemble experimental evidence that they should be deregulated. 

 

[hysteresis]

Sounds just like Canada, and the CFIA.

Only two sp that dont require permits here are T. sinensis and M. religiosa.

 

[Charoozz520]

@MantisGirl13 vupetstore.com has them for sale atm!

 

[MantisGirl13]

Oh wow! They do!!!!!!!

- MantisGirl13