Smiles, If you don't want to exclusively do organic that's fine, but BT is a great product and really works against most of the worms and definately cabbage worms. You can buy it in dust form just like a non-organic pesticide (it's sold as Dipel) or you can buy it in a spray form or concentrate (also sold as caterpillar killer by green light or safer, I can't remember,--there are other brands read the ingredients and look for bacillus thurengitis). Be sure not to apply it during the heat of the day cause the sun inactivates it but if you spray/dust it in the evening or on a cloudy day it will work great. BT shouldn't hurt mantises, it only works against caterpillars (which is what cabbage worms are). You don't say which pesticide you used so there isn't much people can say about the toxicity to mantisis.

Keep on Praying! Oh yeah, adopted children are just so wonderful. I was gawking at a friend from churches new lil baby girl. They have two boys (adopted) that are like 4 or 5 and 3 and they are wonderful as well. Anyways, the lil baby girl was awake and I just couldn;t believe how much she looked like her Mommy! Minus the freckels she's a spitting image of her! Now how is that possible? Well, God is incredible! They got her when she was 3 days old. The birth Mom picked their file out of several and they were the third family. She said she picked them because they are Christians. What a great Mom to be able to find the best family for her daughter.... Congratulations to your nephew and wife! Love, Jules

Are these good to have? We found one in our garden and let him be.

Cute baby! A number of years ago, we stopped at a rest stop in NC; as we were walking in, my grandson casually said, "Oh, there's a praying mantis" (like you see one every day!). I'm amazed . . . you're in 5B but you still have columbine blooming? (beautiful columbine, BTW). I'm in 5 is SW PA; my columbine finished probably a month ago. My daylilies are starting and early hosta are blooming. Nance