Praying Mantises

Post by **GORDON** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:03 am

Here's a little tidbit of info you may or may not have known, but could save you trouble in the future:

Praying mantis egg clutches rely on the presence of heat to know when to hatch, not time or daylight or anything else.

Our freshly cut christmas tree had a clutch of praying mantis eggs on it.

Post by **GORDON** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:07 am

fake edit - Actually I noticed the egg sack immediately and cut it off and put them in the kid's "Bug Jar," figuring the mesh-like sides would keep them in IF they hatched before spring. Nope.

Should have put the whole thing out in the cold garage.

unkbill · Post by **unkbill** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:14 am

Wonder if they are a species on decline. I saw a few last year and remembered seeing them alot as a kid.

Post by **GORDON** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:20 am

unkbill wrote:Wonder if they are a species on decline. I saw a few last year and remembered seeing them alot as a kid.

The trees at the tree farm, there were 1-3 egg cases per tree, that I saw.

We also saw a huge mantis on the privacy fence last summer. Big as the kid's head.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:23 pm

They kick ass for keeping pests away from your garden. And they look bad-ass.

Post by **GORDON** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 2:34 pm

Yeah, I wish they weren't all outside dead.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:32 pm

You can buy them pretty cheap.