I was thinking of keeping them as pets, does anyone in Overgrow have them? I read they are really easy to take care of and only live for about a year…
I would eventually start breeding them and releasing them into my outdoor garden…
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Amazing Bug
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I don’t have them, but I have a humane little site if you do go down that road. I’d love to watch… never kept Mantis.
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my granddaughter has some. she loves bugs and toads and things like that. she grew some huge gourds last year too.
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I’ve been watching a nest on the Lavender plant out back. It will break open once the temps get up to 70 F degrees or so.
No, I never considered to keep them, proper like.
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Thanks for that link, I already have a aquarium set aside for it but I probably won’t do it until Oct-Nov after my outdoor harvest…It will also be more enjoyable during the winter months and I also have to do way more research and reading about the Mantis…
I actually had a stowaway on my Calamondin citrus tree when I brought it indoors for the winter…it’s been long dead and just the exoskeleton is left, here’s a picture.
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If you live in a climate where they can survive you probably have some close by right now. Look for the egg case. 
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I live in central Illinois…
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Yup looks like a brown gray Nutsac.Litterally looks like a Scrotum with a division and two side compartments.If you have them in your area you have walked by them on branches, buildings you name it.Took me years to figure out what those were i put them in my outdoor garden every chance i find one undisturbed in the springtime in Ny
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Got any pix?
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They really are awesome critters. I’ve never kept mantids, but I’ve kept tons of invertebrates over the years and I know people that keep and breed them.
I highly recommend going to a reptile show to meet breeders. If you’re anywhere near Tinley Park, they have a fantastic show pretty regularly.
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They used to be around my area, mainly the common green and brown ones. Walking sticks too.
I haven’t seen any in years.
Either the environment isn’t suitable now or something that preys on them has moved in.
I’ve thought about buying them and releasing in my yard.
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The little ones are cool, it usually takes me a minute to realize what they are when they move.
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Like having Jurassic Park…keep them feed.
I feel I was lucky to have them hatch in my indoor garden.
Super fun.
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So cool. Their egg case is called an “ootheca”. Watching them being made is beyond fascinating.
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I kept one as a pet in the projects. He ate roaches everyday, lol.
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