Finding Mantids in Prescott, AZ

[Seattle79]

I'm having one heck of a time finding Mantids in Prescott, AZ. I only found an L4 nymph a few weeks back (girlfriend found it crawling up my back in downtown Prescott) and a bunch of old, hatched ooths. I search in the general area were the ooths are but no luck. Been searching flowers, waist deep grasses, meodows, no luck! Any tips? Anyone know any good places to search in central AZ? I'm going CRAZY!!!

Thanks.

 

[MantidLord]

try searching in tall weedy areas such as old lots. just walk around and you should see some. Just use your eyes. good luck.

 

[Ghostie]

I don't know if this helps you or not..

But use an old fishing trick. The mantids will be where there is lots of readily available food for them and lots of the type of cover they like.

The Limbatas we found in my grandmother's back yard were in an area with tons and tons of green metallic houseflies and there was also tons and tons of aphids for the nymphs. This spot grows nice large limbata from my picture thread.

It was a garden. The aphid were all over the pumpkin plants and another bush near the garden held most of the adult mantis, all hanging upside down and snatching lots of big green metallic housefly sized flies.

Mantids flourish in a garden setting too. Lots of bugs around veggies.

Try using this trick and maybe it will help?

To catch a fish, you have to think like one.

 

[Jesskb]

I find that going out in the late afternoon tends to yield more catches, or at least in my experience it does. I also carry a stick with me and disturb the grass clumps as I'm looking, this will often scare the mantis into moving and your eyes will pick it up easier. Look on the undersides of leaves on any small bushes that grow up in the grassy area, as these are often hot spots. I also seem to catch more after a light to moderate rain as they have to move up a little higher in the brush to better dry themselves ( I think that's what they're doing anyway :huh: ) . After you've found some, and your eyes get used to what they're looking for, it becomes much much easier.

Hope that helps

-Jess

 

[Seattle79]

Thanks Guys, will do.

-Kevin

 

[Peter Clausen]

I've collected down there. There's a little area there called Red Rock park or something like that. I found lots of great bugs there from mantids to Diplocentrus scorpions, if I remember right.

Sedona's Oak Creek area is also a great locale.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Peter's a great guy, and a Friend of Arizona, but Red Rock State Park is in, or near, Sedona (guess why it's called Red Rock Park)

I corresponded daily with a naturalist in Prescott for a number of years until his death early this year. He knew of my interest in mantids and said that Prescott had little to offer. He would have suggested travelling west into the Harcuvar mountains, but Red Rock is much more accessible.

 

[Seattle79]

I finally found a Mantis(female) this morning near Watson Lake (I'll post picks tomorrow for identification). I think she'll be an adult on her next molt. I found her on a large yellow sun flower type plant in a grassy wooded area that is also a dried up river bed. My grand total is 2 female Mantids. I'll keep searching there because I have found over 20 hatched ooths in this area. I think I was having a hard time finding them because they were still small. Now that they are bigger I should have an easier time. For future reference if anyone wants to find Mantids in Prescott, AZ, their location is North AZ-89 and Prescott Lakes Pkwy (just a little NE of the Casino). There are a few dry dirt lots in this area to park your car. I'll keep searching daily and post what I find.

Thanks,

-Kevin

 

[MantidLord]

Phil! When did you come back? Great find Seattle79

 

[Peter Clausen]

I considered being more thorough and looking it up as a wrote that post earlier, but figured memory couldn't have faded that much (9 years almost to the day since I was last in Prescott). Of course, Phil has me beat on two accounts of time (more past, and I think more present).

I suppose I stayed in another Prescott campground (I remember blueberry pancakes for breakfast and much-needed, on-site showers!) and then moved on up the road and stayed at Red Rock the following night. Geez, if you're in Arizona you're in the mantis Promised Land!