ive only ever seen 2 in my life and look for them sometimes but dont find any. i dont mean to be racist or to affend anyone but in america they find them on buildings and in gas stations!!!! is it because they have been pushed out of there natural enviroment because of over land clearing and are forced live among people who live in the united states? but in australia its sooo hard to find them! is it because we have the bush left and they run and hide away or is it because they just have been elimenated in our suburbian areas
2006-12-31 18:00:18 · 7 answers · asked by monkeyd 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
This wiki page has some pics at the bottom ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praying_mantis
Look at the third one on the top row - Mantis on a Gum tree (Australia), and lower down Mantis on Eucalyptus tree. They're not designed to be easy to spot..!
Mantids live anywhere they can find food, and maybe they like to live near the garbage cans in urban America? Lots of flies ...! They aren't always that easy to find in America though - circumstances are always unpredictable, but sometimes there's a late start to Winter, so more oothecas (egg sacks) will be made, then by coincidence they aren't 'tidied up' by people trimming hedges and so forth, and then there's a good Spring, with plentiful food supplies for the mantids. THEN they're easy to spot - otherwise it's just a case of luck when Americans find them!
Anyway, yes - the mantids in your area have probably decided to live in the Bush. It's their natural environment, and the best place to find lots of bugs to eat - as well as lots of mates! But they WILL stray into residential areas, it's just a matter of SPOTTING one ... unless there's a lot of bug-spraying going on in your suburban areas - then the mantids will die either by being sprayed directly, or by eating a dying bug that has been sprayed.
2007-01-01 19:57:10 · answer #1 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Hey Aussie, I don't think they traveled from Australia. In the states we have always had them. There is plenty of environment for them to live here and we just see more of them than you do, that's all. Some states more than others, of course. Happy New Year!
2007-01-01 02:10:02 · answer #2 · answered by Maggie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Australian Mantis practice the art of cammoflage very well. They are in abundance in bushland and rainforrest areas You just have to be skilled to look for them. Unlike the USA type which were imported anyway ozzie mantis have a real arborial habitat to play in they don't often get seen in the concrete jungles!
2007-01-01 04:46:57 · answer #3 · answered by Shelty K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are they even native to Australia? Most of the ones you saw in America were likely the Asian varieties that were imported into the US!
There's an insect section of www.kingsnake.com if you want to chat with experienced insect hobbyists.
2007-01-01 02:06:22 · answer #4 · answered by beautifuljoe1313 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
haha Australia has destroyed heaps of land in such a short time
they should be ashamed
you go & have a look out west in parts how we have ruined the place
hardly a tree standing
2007-01-01 03:39:08 · answer #5 · answered by ausblue 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There is only a small population of them. They are also very shy animals.
2007-01-01 02:04:43 · answer #6 · answered by Em 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thought they were in prayer retreat....
2007-01-01 02:07:34 · answer #7 · answered by SHIH TZU SAYS 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋