I got some praying mantis eggs earlier this year and hatched them in a box right here next to the computer. They were so fucking cute (although walking in her and facing 2000 pairs of identical eyes was sometimes disturbing).

A++++ WOULD HATCH AGAIN!!!!11!

Mushroom kits are great. I had a portobello/portabella/whatever kit that kept on going way past when they said it would -- it was supposed to last for about 3 months and it went for 6.

FREE Entomopathogenic Nematodes Poster printed on heavy 100-lb paper!

Whooo. "The nematodes enter the host through body openings or by penetration of the body wall. Once inside they release a bacterium which kills the host within 48 hours. The nematodes continue to reproduce and its offspring begin to seek out new host material." Sounds like ideal stocking stuffer material!

Check out the reviews on the nematodes. "It's like a party under my skin!"

I bought this as gift for someone for this Christmas. I'm looking forward to seeing it "bloom"!

I hear they throw in a case of crabs for free.

The comments are hilarious.

Rip-off, June 13, 2004
Reviewer: L. White (Fairfax, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I only got 6,999,997 nematodes. Project remains incomplete.

mudpuppie, you've mentioned the preying mantis thing before and I meant to ask you: where can I get some and how easy are they to take care of and what do you do after they're out of that cute baby stage?

Uranium ore anyone?

This is my favorite thread today.

Would it be wrong to put a box of nematodes in my roommates' beds?

"In fact, human body temperature will kill the worms." Damn.

On to the mantises then.

On the other hand, a reviewer writes,

On the bright side, I got a tremendous bargain on so many specimens of such a rare parasite. And the course of treatment consists of just a few short months of Nematodicidal jellies and suppositories and a few potent sedatives to help me sleep through the otherwise unbearable itchiness caused as these little devils burrow around under my skin.

Back to the nematodes then! I'll show you what happens when your filthy habits cause a roomie to snap!

Speck,

I got the mantid eggs at the local hardware store, but any well-stocked nursery will have them. You get two eggs in a pint-sized container. (Think Ben & Jerry's.) Takes 'em a while to hatch, depending on weather conditions.

The hardest part about taking care of them was finding food for them. I combed the neighborhood for aphids, who (fortunately) love dandelions just as much as they like roses. People don't mind it when you steal their dandelions, but be careful about harvesting them off ornamentals.

I picked a bunch of aphids from the scrubbly flower bed in front tire repair shop down the street. The mechanic came out to ask me what I was doing and then laughed at me, but meh.

Every day I'd release a few, 'cause when they run out of food they start eating each other.

Well after I'd released the lot of them, I found a few adults around my garden -- who had somehow escaped the hens.

Way cool.

putting nematodes in your roommates' beds is not in fact, a good idea. It is a great idea.

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Just thought I'd add an adorable giant cnidarian to our growing list of cuddly creatures.

RIPPED STRAIGHT FROM THE HEADLINES!!!

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When I bought my ladybugs there were 25,000 of them. =)

pup, did you keep them in an aqaurium or something?

I'm bummed to hear about the feeding thing, because finding aphids in December in Portland could be problematic...

Maybe in spring.

I might be able to do it in winter after all. Check it:

Baby Mantids. If you want to rear a hatch, have plenty of fruit flies and/or pinhead crickets on hand. Small praying mantids will eat each other unless kept well fed. Plus, baby mantids instantly escape thru those slots in critter keeper cages. Cover their container with cloth. They also go right thru most screen covers.

I know I can get fruit flies any time of the year.

pup, did you cover your container with cloth, or what?

That's good eatin'?