Anyone keep mantis's

[Potatoemoe]

I saw one the other day that had to have a body lenght on it of 6-7" it was massive. I thought that it would be cool to have one. Are they hard to keep, what setup, food, water, and temps do I need.

 

[Stylopidae]

Depends on the species, but generally pretty easy to keep.

More of a thing you breed IMO because of short lifespans.

When I used to keep them when I was a kid, I'd feed them crickets. I've never had much luck with mealworms as mantis feeders.

I misted once a day for water (usually in the morning to simulate dew) and kept high ventilation and kept the cage clean.

 

[Jesse607]

I keep several species, mostly just natives/adventives. A 6-7" mantid would be a record breaker by the way! Maybe you should try and find it and take a photo with it next to a ruler...I would love to see a mantid that long. I have seen large chinese mantids close to 5" but never heard of one that big .

 

[Potatoemoe]

Ir was what is commonly know arounf here in Va as a praying mantis. don;t know the latin name. They are everywhere around here , but this one was atleast twice as big as any other I had ever seen. I do contruction work and found him on a job site we were on. It was crawling on one of our boxes so I picked it up and carried it over into the woods, and the next day it was back. I wish it was possible to go back and get it. It was the absolute biggest one I've ever seen by far.

 

[RVS]

It's probably Tenodera aridifolia sinensis, one of the largest mantids in the US, also one of the three most common species.

 

[RVS]

Brunneria borealis is pretty long, but I don't think it's range extends that far north. Not to mention it closely resembles a stick insect, which I'm sure the author of this thread would have mentioned.

 

[Potatoemoe]

Ok It is green does not resemble a stick insect and was between 6-7" long. I'm including several links to ones that look like what I saw.

Ok tis first one is about what I saw http://kaweahoaks.com/html/mantis.htm

Ok and this one shows what they are capable of , I'm glad it didn't do this to me when I was moving it. http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx?sc=birdwireJul2005

 

[RVS]

Ok It is green does not resemble a stick insect and was between 6-7" long. I'm including several links to ones that look like what I saw.

Ok tis first one is about what I saw http://kaweahoaks.com/html/mantis.htm

Ok and this one shows what they are capable of , I'm glad it didn't do this to me when I was moving it. http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx?sc=birdwireJul2005

I'm going with Tenodera aridifolia sinensis, although the females (which I'm sure you have considering the size) tend to be a little more brown with green on their wings. It's probably either that or Mantis religiosa, but those aren't nearly as large.

 

[RVS]

Do you have any pictures?

 

[Potatoemoe]

no I kept forgetting to take my camera to work with me, and I'm sure its gone now.