My European Praying Mantis babies! I got about 50 out of one case. About a week ago, my 2 Asian Mantids hatched. I had about 200 of them. I forgot to get a picture before I released them, but they sure are hanging out around here, thank goodness, because the bugs are too. The Asian mantids jump MUCH more than the European ones, and are much bigger. They are just too cute. Not the best picture, but here are my European ones.
Ok, so where did you order them from? And Will they really stick around?
How neat! Did you find them or buy them? If so where?
Here are the 2 of them. European on the right and Asian on the left. Granted, the Asian is a week older, but the body of the Asian ones were never as short and stout as the European ones are.
I heard my brugs whisper thank you when I walked away, after putting the mantids on them, and could have sworn I heard a little white fly scream. LOL
Oops.. lol heres the pic.
LOl! "Out of the mouths of brugs" hehe
Do the mantids eat all kinds of bugs? I've been meaning to order lady bugs to control my aphid problem - but if mantids do that and more, I'd definitely try them.
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=prayingmantisman&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50 is the seller I got them from on ebay. I took a gamble buying from ebay. There are alot of places that sell them on the net. I think Brugie ordered some recently.
I did have a case I found last winter. But I had no idea what it was, so I plucked it off the side of the house, and threw it out. There was one mantis that hung around all last summer. It must have been hers. I feel terrible.
I think if theres enough food, they will stick around. Now I just have to remember not to use insecticides on the brugs.
This message was edited Jun 30, 2004 9:44 PM
ANG.. I think they would probably eat aphids also, dont know why not.. I hope they do, because I have a few (aphids) on my roses. I do know awhile ago Brugie was looking for somthing to get rid of Japanese Beatles, and praying mantids are suposed to do the job.
Well very interesting! Thank you very much for the information. I think I'll find a source for them.
I got mine from Planet Natural. Still waiting for hatch. Shelly, did you hatch yours in the house? I have mine hanging in my brugs.
I did Shirley.. I put them in a big tupperware, with saran wrap over the top, a rubberband around it, and alot of tiny holes poked in the wrap. I put them under my grow lights, and they hatched. The main reason I did mine inside was because I was worried with getting them off ebay they wouldnt hatch, and I just wanted to make sure before I left feedback.
How long did it take Shelly? Mine have been out for two weeks, but it has been cool at night.
Ditto here watching mine every day,Shelly why the two types? did you have to order them seperate?
That is just too cool, i think i wil have to order me some
I read that it takes from 6-8 weeks for them to hatch. I think mine were right at 6 and 7 weeks. Somthing about they have to have a warm period, they can feel it in the case, and then they know that the weather is right for bugs, so they wont starve. I think the cool nights are ok.
The reason for the 2 different types was just how they came. I bought 2 cases, and got one free. I paid 10.00 total, including shipping. Thought the price was right, and I had wanted to try them.
It really was cool to see them hatching. How they squeeze out of the case is beyond me. You cant even tell from looking at the case that they have hatched. I get such a kick out of looking at them on all the flowers and leaves.
I couldnt decide between lady bugs, and mantids. I did alot of hemming and hawing, and decided on the mantids because they ate more/different/bigger bugs.
I hope to get a couple cases for next year. :o) I think I may keep one or two mantids in the grow room this winter.
Hasnt this weather been somthing?? We have been in the low 50's at night. My poor fish in the container outside is manic during the warm days, and so depressed at night.
I really have had fun watching them.. I will 100% do it again next year. Im anxious to see how they take care of the bugs. So far so good. I had a seedling that was pretty infested with whiteflies, I havent seen any the past couple days.
So you put the mantids outside? I was going to say hurry before they eat each other! LOL I got a few egg cases a few years ago. I love them, but I had to move my hummingbird feeder off the window because they were hanging on the window screen and catching hummers :( I haven't seen hide nor hair of them this year. So I think they're gone. Next time I will get the smallest possible ones available-not the big uns. They were kind of like pets though.
they will fight with each other if you keep them together. i have babies come every year. they will fight over terriory so some will move on.
they will grow big no matter which ones you get. some how i always have two different ones each year. and when together i have to seperate them do to fighting. i dont see the cases but around the first of june i can look on my forsynthia bush and find tons of them.
the colder it is out the longer for them to hatch though. something you all might want to consider.
oka i have never heard of one catching a hummer before. i thought they were veggitarians until the time for mating where the female eats her mate. other then that i have never heard them eating meat. hum will check this out.
This message was edited Jul 1, 2004 10:00 AM
No, they eat bugs. No veggies or I'd not have them. Lemme see if I can find a picture.
I read last night that Mantis will eat anything in it's path except lady bugs. They have a taste the mantis doesn't like. Shoot, I wanted them to get rid of the Asian Ladybugs for me.
Here's a link to a picture. http://www.rlephoto.com/birds/hummer01.htm
They never caught any that I saw. But I then knew why they hung on the screen by the feeder.
Oh wow! Thats amazing! Sad, but amazing!!
Oh yes, the day I saw them hatch, they were realeased. I knew they could/would eat each other.
LOL Shirley they can have all the bugs here they want.
I have so many mantids, I have brought some into work, and taking some over to my Mom and Dads house this weekend. LOL Mom called and said "I have some holes on my Dr. Seuss. I need help" lol I never thought the day would come that my Mom was so concerned about a plant. She is loving her "new" brugs.
I wish, I had some prying mantis here! Rose beetles are eating the Rose flowers, all kinds of other flowers, the rasberry leaves and even the brug leaves. This year, we have not seen a single Ladybug yet.
