I would really like to find several fresh praying mantis egg cases. If you have one (or more), and would be willing to trade-please let me know and we'll see what I have that you might like. Thank you!
This message was edited Oct 14, 2009 4:51 AM
others look like this (you'll need to click on it to see the entire case):
This message was edited Sep 18, 2009 3:05 AM
Can they survive without a mom tending them?
Oh yeah. they sell them online. I have a suspicion that the mom tending them would consist of a big breakfast for her. : Do you have any experience with them?
Where should I look for them?
On bushes and trees, I guess.
Here's my preying mantis story:
I just learned in 2007 what the cases look like.
I brought one home on an aster I bought at Home Depot.
It had a case AND a great big mom on it.
I left them alone to do their thing.
I never saw any babies come from it.
Then last year, I was clearing lots and lots of weeds from an overgrown garden for a friend.
I didn't notice the giant mantis when I put the weeds in the back of my truck, under the camoer shell.
I found her when I got home.
I moved her to a tree.
Next day, she was back in the truck and I moved her again.
Being the procrastinator that I am, the weeds were still in the back of the truck near the end of summer.
She was back in there, too, not looking all so healthy.
I surmised that she'd kept going back to her case even though it was hot as you-know in the back of the truck.
I was careful with her as I moved the weeds to the compost pile.
I never saw her again or any babies.
What DO they do, anyway?
hmm. I don't know a lot about their behavior, but they are fierce predators of just about anything that moves.
That's a really neat recall, nilly.
green76thumb, I think I may have a PM egg case for you that's under one of the wooden arms of my wheelbarrow...if it's still there when it stops raining I'll post a pic.
Last month I bought a bunch of perennials and this gal was my 'bonus'. She literally jumped out of the backseat when I unloaded the plants and I carefully relocated her to my Cannas.
That would be great FOTV. (Isn't this rain great too?)
You bet it was, especially after a dry month. Looks like we're "neighbors" in the greater scheme of things...lol
Is this one?
Love how she is looking at the camera.
It looks like it to me. And, looking at her abdomen, I'd say the picture of her was taken before you found the egg case?
FruitOfTheVine - thanks for liking the recall. I felt just horrid though, as I felt I'd caused her a lot of pain by taking so long to move the weeds.
Does anyone know if my guess was right that she stayed to tend her case? If so, it'll certainly change my behavior in the future!
Don't know if that's the big girl's casing or not. Ya'll she was at least 4" long, I'm not kidding, the biggest I've ever seen. That could be her casing since my wheelbarrow was parked in front of the Cannas for several days after I turned her lose. Bummer, I didn't know it'll wreck the casing if I try to remove it from the handle. And no you can't have my wheelbarrow...lol
Maybe I'll be able to spot another casing.....look who else I found Saturday between rains.
awww . . . how cute!
I thought you all might be interested in seeing this video.
Praying Mantis egg case hatching out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJoNzO0iNVQ
Pretty wild, huh?
Cool critters!
Was anyone able to send you cases?
no
It may bee early for cases, I have only seen fat females so far.
I usually run into one or two during a season, I'll keep an eye out for you - it's cold here already, though. Might be awhile!
thanks!
No prob.
I put you in my trade tracker for it so I don't forget!
How bout that first frost we had in VA last night? At least here.
It sucked!
I was NOT ready! Had dragged some things into the basement but couldn't fit everything that needed protecting.... Several things seem to have survived it, though.
I've been behind since Spring!
Glad to have a few days here to try to catch up before the deep freeze comes to stay!.
How do you get them to stay in your garden..... do they like jap beetles???? LOL
I would love to have them in my garden, does anyone have a link to where you can purchase them from?
thanks
Janet
We had a freeze here.
Did you ever get any egg cases? I found several walking thru the fields the other day. I could send you a few it you like.
I don't know what to do with them to keep them alive during our terrible winter here?
Janet
They survive several freezes here but Im not sure about a Zone 5 winter. Do you have them in the wild there?
They are natural in zone 5. I've never tried to collect, winter, and hatch, but I find them often in summer.
I found a neat thread on GW. about colder climate Mantis.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/teach/msg101447269791.html
Wonderful!
I went walking today, looking for a case, and didn't see a thing. I used to see them all the time...now that I want one, I can't find one..lol..It's getting too cold here to trade plants.
Dee
No, I never did get any Heavinscent. I'll cover postage if you'll send me a couple or three. : )
If your in the exchange Ill get them out to you in the next day or so.
I would love to have a few if you find more Heavinscent. I am 9b so would not be too big of a shock.
Nilly do you see swarms of lady bugs in the spring? I have tried to get my brother to vacuum up some and send me but that is not his thing. They do some veg. But I love everything in the garden except poison snakes and don't like spiders. I did see my first Grandaddy long legs last week since I moved to Texas 30 yrs ago. It was good to see him.
Some years I see a lot of lady bugs and some years none! I'm working on getting some houses where they can breed, but will have to make my own so haven't gotten very far so far!
I know this thread has been inactive for several months, but I wanted to let everyone know I ordered a mantis egg case from Clean Air Gardening this year and the babies just hatched yesterday! So exciting to see them running around everywhere.
Here's the link to the case they sell:
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/praying-mantis.html
I tied the case to the stem of a large potted plant outside. Took about six weeks for it to get warm enough for them to hatch. I spent most of yesterday evening separating them, since they will eat each other if given the chance and nothing else on the menu!
Fascinating creatures. I hope some of them stick around the yard through their maturity so I can see them. I don't use pesticides, so there should be plenty of bugs for them to munch on.
