Hello fellow Mantis lovers! I am from the southern central valley of california (Kern). This year has been the year of the mantis! I have found at the least 15 mantises on my porch this year. I have never seen so many in my life! They usually would hang out on the door for several days and then one morning they'd be gone or I'd put them in the big bush in my yard. One particular female, though, was hanging out on my porch and she is huuuge. I will upload some pictures soon, I need to transfer them from my phone. She has two different colored eyes and a missing antennae, I am guessing from some kind of battle her eye was damaged and antennae broken. She kept falling from the side of the house and I was worried she wouldn't survive, so i made her an enclosure with the only thing I had that was big enough and breathable, a mesh type of cat carrier. She stayed in there for three days and she was eating houseflies I put in there and little bits of wet cat food, which she loves. I was also giving her "water sticks" that I read can be used to give them water, q-tips with purified water on them. One day after being held captive for 3 days and nights and eating like a little piggy, suddenly she had regained her strength and she managed to escape the enclosure. lol! When I came to check on her, she was not inside anymore, but sitting on my counter next to it staring at me. =P So I decided she had made her choice and I put her in the big bush in my yard. Now she has been in that bush for a week and yesterday she laid an egg case. 
This morning I wasn't sure what to expect as I have read they die shortly after laying, but she is chipper and hungry! I gave her more cat food and a water stick, but she seemed to be eating the cotton this time and now I am worried. I can't get it away from her! She is sooo strong and stubborn, if I pulled hard she'd come right off the leaf where she is perched! I really hope the q-tip thing wasn't terrible advice. I read it on a pet mantis site/forum. At this point it is obvious to me that the little bits of wet cat food are not harmful because she is absolutely thriving and she loves it, but I am concerned about the cotton now. Should I be? Pics to come soon!
Thanks for allowing me to join this community. I love these beautiful creatures and I am absolutely fascinated by them!
This morning I wasn't sure what to expect as I have read they die shortly after laying, but she is chipper and hungry! I gave her more cat food and a water stick, but she seemed to be eating the cotton this time and now I am worried. I can't get it away from her! She is sooo strong and stubborn, if I pulled hard she'd come right off the leaf where she is perched! I really hope the q-tip thing wasn't terrible advice. I read it on a pet mantis site/forum. At this point it is obvious to me that the little bits of wet cat food are not harmful because she is absolutely thriving and she loves it, but I am concerned about the cotton now. Should I be? Pics to come soon!Thanks for allowing me to join this community. I love these beautiful creatures and I am absolutely fascinated by them!
