Tips on finding wild mantids in SoCal?

[lunarstorm]

Hi gang,

I'll be in San Diego next week for business and plan to spend some time looking for mantids. Even though it's very late in the season, I figured there's still a chance -- unlike my home here in the Seattle area.

I know several of you are in SoCal and am hoping to get pointers on specific locations to try in the San Diego area. But I have zero experience with wild mantids so I'm all eyes/ears for general tips too, e.g. best time of day to try, equipment recommendations, etc.

Cheers,

Adam

 

[azn567]

I think it may be too late in the season to find any mantids. Usually this is the point in time where the last females lay their oothecas and die off, then the oothecas overwinter and hatch in the spring. I maybe wrong about this though.

 

[patrickfraser]

I never find them around in my area. Good luck to you on your search.

 

[Ntsees]

When I search for mantids, I usually look for them in medium sized plants that stand out (for example, if I see a 2 feet tall rose bush in the middle of a field, I look there first). Like what Trans-Am said above, the season is getting late but the window is still open. Chances are you are most likely to only find females. Most important though, you need to have the "eye" for them.

 

[patrickfraser]

I can't even find the chinese mantids I let go. Used to have a female hanging around on a plumeria, but she seems to have disappeared, AGAIN. :lol:

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

if you are going searching you might just want to keep your eyes out for ooths. It's a little late.

 

[lunarstorm]

Yeah, I don't expect to find anything due to the season, my lack of experience, lack of knowledge of good areas to look, etc. But it won't stop me from trying and I wanted to see what tips or advice might be offered from the fine folks here.

Even if I don't find any this trip, I travel to San Diego fairly regularly and imagine it's just a matter of timing and luck.

 

[Logan12197]

Everyone is saying its too late is the season, but I live in so cal too and just found a mantis a few days ago. It was an adult but very lifely and really energetic... it wouldn't stop trying to fly in the jar lol

As to how to find them, its actually funny because i havent seen a mantis all year but I get into this forum and then with in 2 weeks I find 2. They seem to like light, the first one I found flew into a lighted house at night, and the second was on on the wall of my house under the security light.

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah - Im in LA, and they're still plentiful. I see about 3 males a night - on the walls, around lights, etc. I see the last of them every year when right around Halloween, at the pumpkin patch. Then, very rarely, as late as December, when the cut pine trees start arriving for Christmas.

The only females I see flying around are usually Europeans. Only 2 or 3 Chinese females a year.

 

[lunarstorm]

Thanks guys, glad to hear some of you are still finding them. Are there any trends for when do you usually spot 'em? Early evening? Or does it tend to be later, after temps have started to cool down?

 

[sporeworld]

I find them in the late evening, typically. Usually somewhere near a light.