Are mantis protected by laws.

[JackP308]

I have tried to search haven't really found much info. Anyways was at reptile show today looking to diversify my feeder selection. Picked up hornworms,supers,cricks,roaches, and asked someone if they had any mantis for feeders. I was directed to a man with mantis and he told me "we don't not use mantis as feeders and I shouldn't be going around asking for them and that if the USDA find out ill be in big trouble." Also said" most people don't go around saying they feed them off". Sorry I really had no Ideal , I'm just so used to seeing them on here I thought it was a common feeder. Also stated they are all a protected species and its wrong to use a feeders. I was some what shocked and didn't have much to say since I didn't really know. I don't know if I came off wrong since he had pet mantis and I asked about feeders maybe he got offended. He didn't not seem happy at all though.

So are they legal in OHIO or anywhere in the US to feed?

 

[camimom]

I did some research and I dont think they are protected.
I could not find anything stating mantis were illegal to have or feed off.
if they were, people couldnt keep them as pets.
Now I know there are sme species that you can keep as pets but you cant release into the wild. but if you are just feeding them off I cannot find anything to support that claim.

 

[pssh]

Well, you can send them over state lines (unlike just about every other bug) because some are endorsed by the USDA (like chinese mantids.) Exotics are illegal to send over state lines or something. The again, so are mealworms.

 

[Thezillaman21]

Iv bn told they are also but I can't stand em!! Um i didn't see where you are from but If u have them in the wild it's easy to get your own eggs and hatch em. They make thier egg sacks on houses. The sacks look like a butter fly caccoon. You can take a knife and gently peal them off the wall and put them into a small glass jar with air holes and keep then around 70f. I did this all by mistake as a child mom sure was pissed when they hatched instead of a butter fly.

 

[Maurer3D]

Some states have laws prohibiting certain insect species (mostly the southern states). The Department of Agriculture to my knowledge doesn't ban any mantis species other than ones protected by CITES.

 

[JackP308]

I found this answer from anonymous person on answers.com , seems to go along with the response I got. So its probably is illegal to kill aka FEED.


"It depends on what state/country your in. In Ohio, it's illegal to kill Praying Mantises and even Walking Sticks. I love Praying Mantises, especially Wah Lum Praying Mantis Kung Fu, even though I am unable to be taught in my area, because there's no instructors-as of yet." anonymous User

So I guess this explains why I looked like the jerk asking to feed off mantises. I had no idea and If I knew it was illegal, I wouldn't have been asking about them especially at a public show. It's hard to know everything especially when laws are so different by location. IF this is true I bet Im not the only one who learned that today.


also found this that supports the opposite belief. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2154.html

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/pdf/2154.pdf

 

[moviemanmania]

The again, so are mealworms.

Mealworms are illegal to mail across state lines?

 

[JackP308]

Yea what state lines. Don't most site sponsors here mail mealworms ?

 

[Dave]

Sounds like you met someone who listens to rumors too much. Native mantids are sometimes illegal to sell in states that they are native in, as some states have a "No native sales law". Who told you that at the show out of curiosity?

-Dave
SPF

 

[moviemanmania]

Any clear data base that lists what's legal to ship where and where not?

 

[Dave]

Somewhere here...
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

 

[pssh]

Well, technically it is. It's not really enforced though. A lot of the time the movement of insects across lines is determined by the states.

I've had people refuse to sell me roaches (dubia/discoids) because their local fish and wildlife told them it is illegal to send/receive them in X area.

 

[JackP308]

yea like FL but that's clearly stated on vendors sites. We do not ship to FL. That is only for roaches though that i have seen . I know you don't live in FL, but I was using an ex.

 

[JackP308]

Either way I don't think they are illegal to feed in Ohio or anywhere in the US.