ISO rhino beetle, orchid and ghost mantids around buffalo NY

[Ryanxgx95]

Hi I'm moving to buffalo soon and where I'm from mantids and beetles are illegal. So I'm looking to buy some when I get there. Can anybody point me in the direction of any breeders or vendors ?

 

[The Seraph]

Look on here in the Classifieds, if you don't mind ordering online. There are many reputable people here.

 

[SAPHIE]

Rhino beetle: Elmwood pet supplies, petsmart and cermedia. Ghost mantis: supposedly Pan terra pets or bugsincyberspace.com. Not sure if mantids are legal to keep in NY tho. U might want to check into that. I might have it confused w/ killing them, not keeping them, but in any case, definitely check into it before buying.

 

[BuzzSwole]

Rhino beetle: Elmwood pet supplies, petsmart and cermedia. Ghost mantis: supposedly Pan terra pets or bugsincyberspace.com. Not sure if mantids are legal to keep in NY tho. U might want to check into that. I might have it confused w/ killing them, not keeping them, but in any case, definitely check into it before buying.

It’s killing them. Mantids in the us are considered an endangered species

 

[BuzzSwole]

Hi I'm moving to buffalo soon and where I'm from mantids and beetles are illegal. So I'm looking to buy some when I get there. Can anybody point me in the direction of any breeders or vendors ?

Exotic pets in Lockport has a decent selection of insects and arachnids but no beetles outside of ironclads :/

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

There are a few misconceptions in this thread. First, it is illegal to keep exotic mantids in the US due to USDA APHIS regulations. This is because exotic mantids are classified as indirect plant pests (they eat pollinators and beneficial insects) under the Plant Protection Act. Second, I have not read NY laws, but I have never seen any law from any state stating that it is illegal to kill a mantis. This makes me think that the whole thing is a myth. Third, none of the species of mantis I looked for were listed on the Endangered Species Act list last time I checked. Unfortunately, I can't check right now because the list is unavailable due to the government shutdown.

 

[BuzzSwole]

There are a few misconceptions in this thread. First, it is illegal to keep exotic mantids in the US due to USDA APHIS regulations. This is because exotic mantids are classified as indirect plant pests (they eat pollinators and beneficial insects) under the Plant Protection Act. Second, I have not read NY laws, but I have never seen any law from any state stating that it is illegal to kill a mantis. This makes me think that the whole thing is a myth. Third, none of the species of mantis I looked for were listed on the Endangered Species Act list last time I checked. Unfortunately, I can't check right now because the list is unavailable due to the government shutdown.

I looked it up and your correct. Though when I was Maryland as I grew up there for 15 years I saw the amount of mantises when I was a kid to adult demish so much to the point that I might see one every other year :,(

 

[Schledog]

There are a few misconceptions in this thread. First, it is illegal to keep exotic mantids in the US due to USDA APHIS regulations. This is because exotic mantids are classified as indirect plant pests (they eat pollinators and beneficial insects) under the Plant Protection Act. Second, I have not read NY laws, but I have never seen any law from any state stating that it is illegal to kill a mantis. This makes me think that the whole thing is a myth. Third, none of the species of mantis I looked for were listed on the Endangered Species Act list last time I checked. Unfortunately, I can't check right now because the list is unavailable due to the government shutdown.

Wait if exotic mantids are illegal in the US then how can I buy exotic mantids when I live in the US. I mean it’s not like it’s a secret you can buy a ghost mantis from bugs in cyberspace or an orchid mantis from a reptile expo.

 

[The Seraph]

Wait if exotic mantids are illegal in the US then how can I buy exotic mantids when I live in the US. I mean it’s not like it’s a secret you can buy a ghost mantis from bugs in cyberspace or an orchid mantis from a reptile expo.

I'm sure the government has better things to do then arrest people for keeping pet mantids.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Wait if exotic mantids are illegal in the US then how can I buy exotic mantids when I live in the US. I mean it’s not like it’s a secret you can buy a ghost mantis from bugs in cyberspace or an orchid mantis from a reptile expo.

They are selling them illegally. The USDA currently does not have enough employees to go after the vendors, and I hope eventually they will just give up on the mantids and most rhino beetles and deregulate them. I think the USDA should be focusing its efforts on regulating insects that could conceivably pose a threat to agriculture, such as Phasmids.

 

[Schledog]

Honestly that law (like most USDA laws regarding insects) is kind of lame. Although I do love phasmids, I think they should stay illegal but mantids, like seriously, what harm can they do?

 

[Major 78]

Your lucky day bro! I live in Rochester, whichever only 1 hour 18 minutes away from Buffalo! I am working on a ghost breeding project at the moment. I have some other mantids too! PM me for details. @Ryanxgx95

Ok, whole lot of misconceptions on this thread, even supposedly from the people who are "clarifying" these misconceptions, who are in reality just confusing the people of this thread even worse. First off, it is NOT illegal to kill a mantis. Just bad practice. Next, it's not illegal to keep exotic praying mantids anywhere in the world! As long as you have the right permits to import, it's fine. After legally imported, large sellers will breed and continue to sell, which ups availability. So even if it's a 3rd generation legal import, it's fine to keep. And, all those exotics mantids would die in the US's climate if the managed to escape. Even local authorities don't know better. A local police officer of a friend told him it was illegal to kill mantids, where no where in any law book does it say so. It's fine, just not good to do. And, are you kidding me?! Mantids are not endangered. Please, do your research before confusing a new hobbyist. Don't scare them away by saying it's illegal to keep praying mantids!

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Interstate movement and importation of non-native/month-naturalized mantids is illegal in the US under the Plant Protection Act of 2000 without a PPQ 526 permit. The permits require you to have a containment facility, which needs to be inspected by the USDA. It is perfectly legal to keep a native/naturalized mantis found in the US (unless the place you found it prohibits collection of live animals).

 

[SAPHIE]

Per the misconception that arose w/ me not knowing exactly which of the 2 was illegal, whether keeping or killing a mantis, I had to do a bit of research, although I directed buyer to do research b/c I was unsure. Per http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals: keeping/killing mantids is not illegal in NY, but there are laws regulating the purchase of imported exotic ones.