PlayingMantis
Well-known member
I last took care of a pregnant praying mantis that I rescued in the garage one autumn, lost and sad, and I took her in. She lived on my houseplant, I fed her crickets and I never had to give her an enclosure because she would always stay on the tree. And when I got back from school she would climb on my arm and wave her arms like saying hi. She laid a lot of eggs, which I put outside in the woods, and she died in December. That was the last time I had any contact with praying mantises. 6 years ago. For 6 years I didnt find anything! I would take walks in the woods just to find a mantid, but nope, no such luck.
I live in Virginia and I now work in a very well developed place. Just outside of my office building is a garden bed with coleus and some shrubs. I saw a twig-like thing on the leaves. I did not have hopes up because for the last 6 years, every time I saw a twig-like thing, it always turned out to be a twig. Lo and behold, it was a 3" praying mantis. I looked around and there were two other 4" ones, and a huge 5-6" one. I think it's a "she" because she has a rounder abdomen. She twisted her head around when I came close, and looked at me.Later when I was leaving for work, that giant mantis was still there, eating a huge bumble bee.
I wonder, is it generally difficult (or rare) to find mantises outside? Or was I having bad luck until today? Are there particular habitats that they prefer? I would've expected to find mantises in the woods or overgrown area, not some well-trimmed garden bed.
I left the mantises be because they seem happy and don't need any rescuing. However I worry if the landscaping company might dig up the coleus bushes in the winter, along with any eggs!
I live in Virginia and I now work in a very well developed place. Just outside of my office building is a garden bed with coleus and some shrubs. I saw a twig-like thing on the leaves. I did not have hopes up because for the last 6 years, every time I saw a twig-like thing, it always turned out to be a twig. Lo and behold, it was a 3" praying mantis. I looked around and there were two other 4" ones, and a huge 5-6" one. I think it's a "she" because she has a rounder abdomen. She twisted her head around when I came close, and looked at me.Later when I was leaving for work, that giant mantis was still there, eating a huge bumble bee.
I wonder, is it generally difficult (or rare) to find mantises outside? Or was I having bad luck until today? Are there particular habitats that they prefer? I would've expected to find mantises in the woods or overgrown area, not some well-trimmed garden bed.
I left the mantises be because they seem happy and don't need any rescuing. However I worry if the landscaping company might dig up the coleus bushes in the winter, along with any eggs!
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