well i guess im looking for a starter. and chinese mantds i could release when i get too many in my area right? i think they might be a good one to start with to try my hand at hatching them.Ask a LPS if they have any on their stock list. I had a friend who owned a mom and pop pet store, and sometimes mantids would show up on their supplier's list of stock. They'll mark things up, obviously, but you might be able to negotiate. Are there particular species you are looking for, or would any do? I have a ton of Chinese mantid ooths right now.
Yeah, they're just from my garden. They lay on a big patch of sage that I have to cut back annually, so instead of tossing the ooths I keep them. I can tell the difference between a fresh one and one from years past, so that might be why people have issues. They're pretty durable, so I do find old ones from time to time.really? thats very cool of u! have u had much luck with wild collected ooths hatching? I read that it is rare that a wild collected one will hatch.