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montanadolphin Columbia, VA(Zone 6b) Jun 06, 2013

Kitt...mantids don't spit. Walking sticks do, though, and it can cause serious eye injury if the spit gets in there. They don't really bite, either. I'd put a drop of water on my finger tip and Alice would suck it up. Sometimes she didn't stop...and ended up "nibbling" the skin on my finger. It felt really weird...and tickly...but it never hurt. I've handled hundreds of praying mantids and none ever bit. Their sharp claws though...that can hurt, especially if they jab you with it...it's like getting a needle stuck in your finger/hand/arm. One of my other mantids...a LOT less friendly than Alice was...got me one time. Stinker.

Of course I've only handled three species of mantid...two introduced to North America and one native...which are the Chinese Mantis, European Mantis, and Carolina Mantis respectively. Unless one of the exotic species have been let loose to invade Louisiana (which wouldn't surprise me...like the pythons and hogs) I don't think there's anything to worry about for anyone in that state...as long as they don't confuse a Praying Mantis with a walking stick!

Also, Kitt...what did you mean by "hope you have bt around"? What's bt? If it's obvious ima feel reaallll stupid.

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) Jun 06, 2013

bT...Bacillus thuringiensis.....kills worms without killing everything else....and that includes killing mosquito wrigglers

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/earthkind/ekgarden25.html

Here is a link you may want to check out re mantids.
http://mantidforum.net/forums/

Yup...walking sticks spit and we have a variety of them here...from little ones just over an inch or so to some that are rather large....3 to 4 inches long. The one in the picture below is from Australia...each of the metal sections on the awning are 5 inches wide....this was one big walking stick

This message was edited Jun 6, 2013 7:23 PM

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