# where I can get exotic mantis species (orchid mantises)



## skips

does anyone know where I can get an orchid mantis or any other exotic mantis species?  I'm much more familiar with reptiles but I don't want wild caught animals.  Where do I find these things?  Thanks in advance.

Reactions: Like 1


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## JayzunBoget

This is not the cheapest place to get them, but they usually have them and are known for quality and reliability.
http://www.mantisplace.com/mantisforsale.html
Welcome to yet another facet of the affliction..erm I mean addiction, no.. what do they call it here? Oh, yeah, The Hobby.


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## skips

Haha, thank you.  This place has some amazing looking species.  I can definately see where your affliction/addiction comes from.  It might be mine soon. Idolomantis diabolica i think it's called.  SO cool.


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## arachnocat

Also check out the  http://mantidforum.net classifieds  
Exotic mantids are becoming way more available in the US which I think is great. I even saw some nice ones at the last reptile show.


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## ThomasH

Exotic mantids are illegal to own in the U.S.
TBH


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## JayzunBoget

BoaConstrictor said:


> Exotic mantids are illegal to own in the U.S.
> TBH


There are certain restrictions on certain species in certain localities, particularly in regard to shipping, but that statement is, overall, almost completely untrue.


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## Matt K

_Importing _ exotic mantids is illegal.  There are several which are bred domestically that are legal to own.  Shipping them inter-state may or may not be illegal, as some states have laws against this.  In any case, a permit is required from APHIS I believe to ship interstate.  Not everyone follows this regulation it seems and it is very difficult law to enforce.


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## BestRoach

Why would they be illegal? Can they impact the environment that much?


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## skips

They most certainly could theoretically impact the environment.  The USDA would be so far up your ass you'd taste cow dung if they got out and started a breeding population, but here in ohio, fat chance!  Too cold.  Bugs are highly controlled by the USDA because of there uncanny ability to screw up an eco system (reference emerald ash borer), but they are allowed to be kept.  Even at the zoo I formerly worked at the USDA was on us not to let even one non-ohio species of butterfly out or we'd be shut down if it became a recurring problem, and these were all united states species.

I could be wrong, but I checked the CITES list the other day and there were no mantis species listed in appendix one.  In fact, I couldnt find any anywhere on CITES.  Even if there were, you can still buy they and keep them if they're  captive bread, just like almost all other exotic species of anything.  Otherwise you'd never see demeril's ground boas or certain species of dart frogs, for a few examples, being kept.


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## skips

plus, i highly doubt idolomatis diabolica or an orchid mantis would servive more than a couple days without being eaten.  Their bright colors would be a death sentence.  What ohio species has any kind of aposomatic coloration?


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## Red Eyes

Maybe try this website? http://www.usamantis.com/Species.html.


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## Matt K

BestRoach said:


> Why would they be illegal? Can they impact the environment that much?


Everyone jumps to the obvious but wrong conclusion.  

It is not the mantids themselves (although that is not out of consideration).  The problem that most often occurrs with imported insects is that bugs from foreign lands generally carry several pathogenic issues, such as mites, intestinal protozoans, worms, bacteria, etc., that are extremely harmful to things in the USA.  

A fine example is the somewhat recent banning of imported African Giant Millipedes.  These are already all over the place in the US, so why the ban??  Federal entomologists had recently identified a mite that has been eating U.S. cotton crops.  As it turns out this mite lives with AGB's in Africa doing no harm there, and looks like the usual commensurate mite we see on the millis normally making it hard to know if its on them or not.  So when these imported AGB's bring in the cotton-eating mite, American cotton crops suffer, the Fed's make the I.D., and the ban is put in place.  Similar situations have occurred with several other bug species, which is why government organizations are so anal about imported bugs in general.


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## BestRoach

Interesting, and I completely agree with certain importation bans. I misread your post, and thought you had mentioned it was illegal to own them...not import them.

My mistake!


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## skips

Matt K makes an incredibly good point.  anyway, thanks guys.  All of your posts have been helpful


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