My friend's daughter has just hatched Praying Mantis and when they are very young they have to eat small soft bodied insects eg aphids, whitefly etc. Do you see where I am going with this ? LOL ! I have been supplying her with these insects from my greenhouse (they are all over my brugs etc.) I had to stop spraying about a month ago in order to have enough bad bugs to keep these good critters alive. It is a HUGE responsibility ! On the other hand she has promised me a couple of the praying mantis when they are grown, for some ecological bug control in my greenhouse!
Heather
Feeding Praying Mantis
That's cool Heather, I hope you can get rid of all the bad bugs you have kept for her!
I've tried the lady bugs many times as well, always wasted effort for me, they are either mostly dead, get away or just don't do the job well enough and I end up spraying as well. I've just had to start srapying the last day or so for some aphids. First of the year for me. i've been lucky so far.
Nice to see you back, both Jeanne and Heather.
Linda
Nice to here that Praying Mantis survive somewhere in Canada. I fondly remember them from my youth in New York State, but I think Ottawa's too cold for them. 36 years and I've seen nary a one.
Good luck with those.
Ann