Please note that they are not particularly efficient for pest control, though there is a massive marketing campaign about it in popular media right now. They are lazy predators: lazier than ladybugs, and certainly far below parasitoids on the "efficient natural insect control" scale. Do your research on what you need, do not buy mantis as your only pest control option.

KIT INCLUDES:

-3 baby mantis (nymphs): Tenodera sinensis, the Chinese mantis (size will vary)

-3 16 oz deli containers with lids to house them (mantis need to be kept separately, otherwise they eat each other)

-1 culture of flightless fruit flies to feed them (no spare; you won't need it) (species will be selected based on the size of your mantis)

This kit is designed for those of you who don't want 300 baby mantis in your house all at once. Or maybe you just want to skip the sometimes unpredictable process of hatching your own egg cases at home? This mantis will not do much for greenhouse pests, but it's an excellent way to get The Mantis Experience without overwhelming yourself (someting we could all do with less of right now!).

This is sort of a starter kit, including food and housing, to get you established with 3 baby mantis (2-6 weeks old).  

Please be aware that mantis are a lively predator, and require daily care. They need to be fed and watered daily, and they live 6-8 months. They also will outgrow the starter containers you'll get, as well as the food! So be prepared to source your own food and larger housing within a month or so, once they get bigger. 

We are giving you 3 and not less because it gives you better success rates rearing these up on your own: however, please be aware that once you have them it is up to you to provide quality care and attention to these little babies. They will be tiny and threadlike when they arrive to you, so please be careful when moving their containers around or interacting with them. They can hop, but cannot fly yet: that comes later, after they have molted numerous times and become 3-4 inch long adults (giant flying bugs in the house, fun!). They are rambunctious climbers and can scale glass, plastic, and you as babies.

The containers are 16 ounce plastic deli cups with ventilated lids: you can add sticks and other objects to the inside for them to climb around on: avoid any materials exposed to car fumes, herbicides, pesticides, etc. Don't add cedar, it kills bugs. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

We guarantee live shipping: however, once the mantis arrive to you, be ready to take care of them. These are a living creature and have requirements it will be your duty to fulfill. We can't control what happens past the point of shipping, but we can help you! If you encounter any problems with your mantis, call us right away so we can help you! We want you to have a healthy fun experience with these little friends and when you make a purchase like this, you get the might of our lab's knowledge to triage your issues.

Remember: you are dealing with living animals. Nature is not perfect; in the wild, survival rates would naturally be very low, with only around 5% of insects surviving to adulthood. In captivity and with proper care, you should expect a much higher rate of survival. Please follow your instructions carefully, and incorporate the volatility of insect life into your plans. We do not recommend assigning a single insect to a single participant, as some of them will not make it.  It is always ideal to observe insects as a population. 

SHIPPING: Please review your invoice carefully to ensure there are no mistakes in the information we have been given for you. Ensure your order has been translated correctly. Butterfly Wings N' Wishes is not responsible for shipment delay or failure due to incorrect information on the invoice. If an order is delivered to an incorrect location or is returned to us due to these issues, we may charge an adjustment fee in event that your parcel's delivery must be corrected.

Incomplete orders (missing phone numbers, missing physical address, etc) will be cancelled and refunded. PO boxes are not valid addresses.

If you want separate shipping dates you must place separate orders: this is to account for the separate shipping fees that are required. Otherwise, we will default you to a single shipment, though we may follow-up if it is not best for the animals. 

By agreeing to do business with us you hereby agree to abide by all terms and conditions as presented by Butterfly Wings N' Wishes Ltd: http://www.butterflyab.ca/terms---conditions.html