praying mantis - lots!

9 years ago

I meant to ask, I have a number of praying mantis that keep finding their way in my yard. I'm getting used to letting bugs be, but these things look like machines. I read that they are okay and will eat the other bugs, but how many is too many praying mantis? I've seen about 4 in the past week in different parts of my backyard. They started popping up after I cut the lawn and started a new bed. Do I need to do anything about them?

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Comments (8)

lascatx
9 years ago
Generally, I would think too many would be what the insect population/food supply would not support. The one thing I've heard about praying mantis though is that they can eat humming birds, so for them too many would also include them taking a toll on the hummers.
pinkkpearls
Original Author
9 years ago
OMG they eat hummingbirds? I have a lot of them by my house, that would be horrible! How they heck do they manage to kill hummingbirds?? JEEZ! For now I'll let them be, but if they stick around too long, I'll gather them up and release them elsewhere.
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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.
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Oh Rhizo, you're right. I'm cringing. OMG, a non-fiction horror story! I'd have moved every last bit of furniture, with either dh's big shoe/broom handle inserted since I don't dare near any spider, let alone a black widow, or a fly swater used to swat ants! Donned in thick gloves and winter boots!! Honest to God, I got goose bumps reading yesterday's event at your house. Will you or Robert sit on the couch? Do you find webs? Ohhh, I hope she didn't have babies..look for her dh's skeleton. Might lead to her whereabouts. UUULLLKKK. Several deep breaths..... Your Mantis is a little monster. Poor hummers. Can Robert catch and trasfer to a different location? A wooded area? I can't believe he/she bit you. And broke your skin. Do you know if they have teeth? Darn sharks! No matter, I'd rather be bit by a mantis than see a BW. Auron. After I ordered PM egg cases, then posted here on GW, I then discovered mantis weren't as innocent as they look. When mantis stand they pose as in prayer. After hearing Rhizo's story I know what they're praying for. lol. At first I thought mantis ate grass, weeds, etc, then found they ate bugs, but didn't think it possible they'd eat a bird..even a little hummer. We rarely see hummers here, so I pray, if by some miracle the mantis live and grow full length, the hummers stay away. I realize it's a matter of survival. I can't watch nature shows when one animal devours another, even though it's natural. I assumed mantis ate ants..a pest I've been trying to rid 4-5 yrs. Ants are everywhere, including our house. As much as I dislike finding hundreds of ants, I'd rather deal w/ants than Rhizo's black widow. lol. Purple, thank you. You're so funny, 'in a good way.' :) Yes, the brown things are mantis. Babies. Mantis type wasn't on the receipt so I wrote the seller. He said they're Chinese Mantis. Oh Rhizo, you're right about exotic mantis. There's one type that resembes a semi-white/semi-transparent, double-petaled flower. He/she is BEAUTIFUL. I'm certain they're not hardy in IL though.
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Hey Brenda! I hope your mouth is feeling much better:) That 3rd pic is a toad trying to eat that worm in the 2nd toad pic. It's blurred because the little buggers move so fast. Or do you mean is there another in the pic? Possibly, they blend in with the bark so well:) I have to move really slow, I still have some that are only about a 1/4" big out there. I've been killing grasshoppers too, babies, tan ones and green ones. And some really huge ones tan ones that I swear are like 4" big! Gross me out. I killed 5 hoppers day before and just two yesterday, one was a giant one. I flush them out with water and then kind of drill them with the water and hammer them on the ground while they're stunned from the water with the shower head on the hose. It's kind of a major ick factor, but I'm tired of them eatting on the roses and the canes. I don't see too much damage on the daylilies but they leave like spit all over the lavender and the mums. I keep washing that off. Sometimes I miss hammering them and have to do it again. Works best for me. Otherwise I'm chasing them all over the yard with a flyswatter which doesn't work but I'm sure it affords the neighbors with a lot of entertainment, LOL* I'm on at least my 3rd generation of hoppers since spring. They aren't flying off somewhere else here. That's what I get for not spraying the ground in the early spring, they've been multiplying since the few I had early last year. Because I know the toads will show up in May, I don't want the ground sprayed. OTOH, I'm seeing an upswing in good bugs. All my hollyhocks are being eaten, the foliage is by I assume the grasshoppers and other pests, but I have blooms. These are the oddest looks plants, they're on the short side, but I have very pretty blooms, thank you:) I have pink and mauve blooms, my favorite colors.
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Mine are always in the area of the deck. Not sure of their lifestyle but wonder if they overwinter under the deck. We just need RAIN, been so dry (just like last year when the reservoirs were nearly empty. Saw the winter forecast and they are calling for temp about 5 degrees above normal (like last year) and above average rainfall (again like last year). Only tropicals I brought inside are the tropical Ficus, Diffenbachia and Aglaonemas, and most tender palms (Coconuts, Hyophorbes, Adonidia/Veithchia), mango and papaya. I like the weather with the exception of the aridity. As long as it's seasonal I can cope, but would HATE a dry climate. I love the rain and the snow and the lushness they bring too much.
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
9 years ago
You can put some in a box and bring them to me at the swap.. I would be thrilled! I haven't seen one in my yard for awhile. If you see any egg cases that would be even better. I found an egg case once in my yard and put it in a jar to watch the little ones hatch. When they did I took them outside to a plant that had aphids. They immediately started gobbling them up even though the little mantis babies had just hatched.

My M-i-L saw a very large one grab a hummingbird once, but I think it is pretty rare.

Here is a link that might be useful: Praying mantis egg case photos ...
pinkkpearls
Original Author
9 years ago
I'll be on the look out over the next few days, I looked for them when I got in and didn't see one. I'm sure they'll be back, I'm thinking it's bc I'm on a greenbelt bc I get a lot of insect activity. Egg cases? Ick lol
sweet_betsy No AL Z7
9 years ago
They do stalk hummers. Last summer I had one crawl up on my feeder to lay in wait. I am glad to have them to kill bad bugs but
not my hummers.
castro_gardener
9 years ago
oooh, lucky you, Pink ! I'm with Roselee... I think it's a rare thing that they would catch a hummer. They are an insect that you will want in your yard. But if not, bring them to the swap and we'll take them!
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
It's only the very large imported (now invasive) Chinese mantid that would be able to snatch a hummingbird. Unfortunately, they are becoming more common in our gardens, taking over the native species' environment.

I remove mantids of any kind from my yard and garden. They do nothing to control aphids, whitefly, scale, and spidermites but sure do a number on my bees and butterflies!

Over many years I've observed these crafty little devils avoiding my veggie areas, where they could actually do some good, in order to stalk my annual and perennial beds where the pollinators hang out in droves. I've even moved them from one location to another only to watch them fly back immediately, lol.
plantmaven
9 years ago
About 60 years ago I saw a mantis kill a hummer. I was playing jacks on the front porch and was horrified.

praying mantis - lots!

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lascatx

pinkkpearls
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praying mantis - lots!

Comments (8)

lascatx

pinkkpearlsOriginal Author

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pinkkpearls
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