Praying mantises have recently gained popularity as domestic pets

[Still Waters]

Rearing insects at home as pets may sound strange and a bit nerdy, but thousands of people all over the world have already swapped their hamsters for praying mantises or stick insects.

These insects, sold at fairs and pet markets, or collected in the wild and then reared by amateurs or professionals, are gaining increased popularity and fueling a largely unknown market. Not all of them are small, crawling monsters. Some are elegant, with flower-like coloration (the orchid mantis, Hymenopus coronatus), and some are funny-looking like Pokémon (the jeweled flower mantis, Creobroter wahlbergii). Many can be safely manipulated and cuddled as they look at you with big, cute kitty-eyes (the giant shield mantis Rhombodera basalis).

https://phys.org/news/2022-05-people-swapping-cats-goldfish-mantises.html

https://jor.pensoft.net/article/71458/

[Myles]

Not for me, but I do like them.   About 15 years ago I bought 25 young ones and released them on my land.   I don't know how much the one's I released added to the population, but I will see them a few times a year.  

[quiXilver]

They are pretty common around here.  See them routinely, particularly up at the Huntington Gardens.

Though raising them is not new, it's certainly growing lately.

 

My wife and I have been fostering Monarch Caterpillers for a few years now. 

We rotate plants into a screened enclosure to avoid wasp attacks and so they are out of the wind when they're waiting for their wings to dry.

Have a picture somewhere of 5 of them roaming around on me and hanging out until they were ready to fly away. 

Nearly time for the gals to come through and start laying eggs, so we'll be setting up soon.

 

Side note:  Our city recently initiated a project to transform an old unused railway line that runs through our city, into a bike/walkway path that will dual function as a Bee and Butterfly corridor with helpful perrenials all along its length.  Neighboring city liked the idea and agreed to continue the project where the line runs through their zone.

[HandsomeGorilla]

I love them 

But if you breed them, don't freak out when the female rips the males head off and eats it. 

[Commander CMG]

9 hours ago, HandsomeGorilla said:

I love them 

But if you breed them, don't freak out when the female rips the males head off and eats it. 

I hope I don't come back as a Praying Mantis, I Like my head where it is 

[openozy]

13 hours ago, HandsomeGorilla said:

I love them 

But if you breed them, don't freak out when the female rips the males head off and eats it. 

Hard to believe a female could be so aggressive .

[Jon the frog]

You need to feed them well, it's hard when they are hatching, they eat each other these bunch of cannibals. 

Edited May 21, 2022 by Jon the frog