I think they're telling me something... they want their own post;)
The last weekend of May I found a nymph Praying Mantis on top of my car. It's amazing I spotted him tbh. If you've never seen them at this stage, they are sooo small. Maybe 1/2-3/4 of an inch and very thin. One word comes to mind to describe them at this stage and that's wispy:). I moved him off my car onto my jade plant. He must have not liked it in there. Don't blame him it's like a jungle. That's when I spotted him on my snail eatin Delospema. Then a week later on my Gerbera Daisy. He has stayed on the daisy. Here's a little info on them. I've read so much about them. Thought I'd share:).
The female lays an ootheca on a leaf or twig in the fall. She will lay one fertile or not. She will die soon after:(. The fertile ootheca has between 100-400 eggs. The material that is the ootheca is like a foam. Which protects the eggs during the winter and from predators. If I was a bird this would not be a meal I would want. Think unsalted pork rinds. Yuck!
Once spring comes and the temperatures heat up little tiny nymphs wiggle their way out. I'm sure you've heard one of their first meals was probably their brother or sister. Yes this is true. It's an easy meal;).
The nymphs will look for a safe place that is hidden from spiders and birds. Along with a nice food source. When they're young they eat little gnats and bugs that are smaller than they are. This is when they get their hunting skills down. They have to be selective during this time because most things could make them a meal at this stage. These insects are the most incredible hunters. They're ambush hunters. Praying Mantis will sit and wait and wait and wait for a meal. Perfectly hidden under a leaf on the side of a stem, and the BAM they grab and eat. I've read they eat the neck or head first. Makes sense. Once Praying Mantis are older they eat lots of other insects. They can even eat hummingbirds or lizards. Turnabouts fair play;). I've read one of they're favorite meals are honey bees:(. Not good, but bees are probably sweet and fatty. Like the equivalent of a Twinkie in the insect world I'm sure;).
They get their name Praying Mantis for one obvious reason. Those two front legs that they keep bent like they're praying. These legs are a total advantage most insects don't have "arms". Their alien head is an advantage too. They have two huge compound eyes, and their head is attached to a joint that allows them to move 180 degrees. I've read no other insect has this ability. When I'm outside looking for my friends, yes I said friends, they spot me way before I spot them. I think where are you, then I find them looking at me. It's like my friends look at me straight in the eyes. Once they're adults they develop one ear that is located under their chest.
Praying Mantis molt 6-9 times in their life. This is cool to watch I caught one of my friends doing this the other night. They hang upside down and move side to side, up and down, and eventually they wiggle their way out. If they fall during this molting period they could get stuck and die:(. Sometimes they will mess a leg up while molting. Usually by the next molt the leg is fixed:). In adulthood they will develop wings. Not all species can fly. Females don't fly the males do. I've read people finding Mantids on their outside lights at night. They're usually getting food or looking for a mate.
So now it's fall and it's time to do what we are all intended to do, and that's procreate. I don't need to go into details. They don't do anything special. But the female may decapitate the male when they're done. This doesn't happen 100% of the time, but it definitely does. I'm under the impression she doesn't eat him, but just rips off his head. Probably because he won't get off her back;).
After she mates she will attach the ootheca to like I said twigs or leaves. I've seen pics of one attached to a car antenna;). She soon dies after.
So the cycle continues:).
Here are my friends. I really need a camera!
This is the one I found first on my car. He's about 1/2 an inch here.
June 16 he had molted a couple days before this pic was taken:).
June 22:) totally getting bigger:).
June 22
This Praying Mantis is the one I found molting a couple nights ago. Here's his old outfit;).
Then today I was dead heading and found this guy. He is much bigger than the two above. He's close to two inches long:).
I will keep this post updated with any new news/growth on my new summer friends:).
There are some really cool beautiful Mantids out there. There are over 2,400 species. Most live in tropical climates. Imagine how those look:)? Here's a little Video I like.
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6 years agoThanks everybody. They're really amazing creatures. I know that was a long read, but I've read so much about them I thought I would share:). I wrote what absorbed;).
I've read people putting the oothecas in brown paper bags, and pinning the top closed. I couldn't imagine opening a drawer and seeing hundreds of them.
When I was little my mom said she found like 20 or 30 dead Rollie Pollies in my coat pocket. Kids:).
Hopefully everybody has them in their yard. I'm sure one of those oothecas hatched in your yard Pagan. I get the impression you have a big yard. So I'm sure there are oothecas you didn't even see:). I bet they watch you when you water.
Last year on Halloween I found one on the strut/shock absorber of my car. Took a pic, but it's hard to tell. If you look real hard you can see a green alien looking at me. I'm sure it was a she. She was huge. Hmmm I wonder way she layed that ootheca;).
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoThey like really warm climates. People totally keep them as pets. I tried with one, but I felt I couldn't provide him with the proper amount food. So I let him go. Plus I almost hurt one of his little praying "arms"when I was closing the container. That was the icing on the cake for me. Had to let him go.
They don't live long either. I've read between 6-12 months. The ones that live 12 months must be the ones from the tropics.
Here are a couple cool Praying Mantis.
Orchid Mantis. I've read they don't exactly mimic an orchid, but overall a generic flower to attract bees. So they just sit and wait. These are really popular for people to keep as pets.
This one looks like an alien. Ghost Mantis. Imagine how hard it must be for this thing to get a perfect molt. They must need lots of humidity during this time. So many edges and delicate pieces. The second photo shows how well they blend and wait to ambush:).
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agoMakes no sense. When I see a four inch Praying Mantis I go "how cute", but when I see an ugly spider the size of a dime. I go "Eek, get away, get away, get away!".
A couple more
Hooded Praying Mantis:) look how his camouflage even has what looks like decay. It's not perfect looking. Evolution:).
Jeweled Flower Mantis:)
SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA thanked SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA thanked SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoFound number 4:). He is at a totally different spot in my yard. Sorry the pic isn't that great. The sun is putting a glare on him.
I put him to a safer spot. I don't know how he lived. Where I found him is where lizards and birds are. He is wayyy feistier than the others.
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoAww that's cute:). I think ours are a little behind in growth because we had a long wet winter. From my experience they should be at least 2 inches by now, but I'm finding small guys:). I know a lot hatch, but I don't even understand how one even makes it. They're so vulnerable when that small. The one I found a couple days ago, in the above pic was full of piss and vinegar. He was ready to fight me.
I was watering just now and found one. I think I already found this guy. Pretty sure he's the 3rd one I found. I haven't been able to find the others, but sometimes they disappear for a month and then come out huge.
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoSpotted another friend while watering tonight. Poor guy I scared the crap outta him. He's in a totally different part of my yard. Amazing how any of them make it without being eatin or stepped on:).
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA thanked PaganKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoAround the time I made this post I was finding Praying Mantis all over, but after writing this they all just disappeared. In the past week I've spotted two males. One which died on my front porch. I've been keeping the back and front porch lights on because it attracts them. I want to encourage mating as much as I can;).
They really don't live that long. Not even a year. They mate, lay the ootheca, and die.
This morning I found a female in my Firestick and now she's on my garage:).
SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA thanked SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoI was looking at my plants just now and saw a little bug on a mission. Took a closer look and my fav little creatures have hatched. I need a Praying Mantis crossing sign;)! I love their feisty little attitudes even at the size they are now. They’re ready to fight to the death!
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
5 years ago
Helen Agius (Adelaide,Sth Aus) USDA Z10b
5 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA thanked Helen Agius (Adelaide,Sth Aus) USDA Z10bKara 9b SF Bay Area CA
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoThe dead leaf mantis are pretty neat. I mean talk about evolution, they blend so well into their environment.
One is hopefully making a home on my front porch. It’s been there for 24 hours so that’s a good sign. When they’re this small they find a spot and stay. Thankfully for him I cleaned all the daddy long legs off that area because they would have loved to have him as a snack;).
stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
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4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoI found a beautiful green alien today;).
There was a little spider that use to make its home here, but I think he is no longer. I only see tiny web remnants.
They’re getting bigger because last month I found a few aliens that were itty bitty, but now much bigger.
stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
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4 years agolast modified: 4 years agocactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
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4 years agoIf the leaf’s a rockin;)!
I found them a couple hrs ago and they’re still at it. I don’t blame her for ripping his head off afterwards;).
cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
4 years agoKara 9b SF Bay Area CA thanked cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
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