Praying Mantis Benefits

[Mennoniteman]

Since I spray very little insecticide, I appreciate the free insect control that praying mantises do so much that I collect the egg cases and put them around my orchard and food plots. My brother in law gave me a Kleenex box full off his farm this spring, so that was a big boost. I feel like I can see a difference, but then, the evidence here is that I'm prejudiced.
The last picture is a natural one that's already on my apple tree, right where I want it.

 

[catscratch]

I've always had a love for the preying mantis (intentional misspell), but have bought many predatory insects before. Always fun to use nature rather than synthetics. Kudos to you for gathering eggs and propagating them.

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[Drycreek]

Up until this minute I couldn’t have told you what an egg case looked like. Never too old to learn I guess.

 

[dogghr]

That’s cool to do that. For whatever reason I see very few of them anymore. Not sure reason. I do agree w using natures way.


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[weekender21]

I put a praying mantis egg case in my room when I was very young. Apparently it liked the heat because one winter night I had hundreds of tiny babies in my room! They’re really cool, we see them in Hawaii occasionally.

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[Mennoniteman]

That’s cool to do that. For whatever reason I see very few of them anymore. Not sure reason. I do agree w using natures way.


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Propagating praying mantis's doesn't go well with a lot of the insecticides that farmers use nowadays. The neonicotinoids are especially potent to a lot of beneficial insects.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I put a praying mantis egg case in my room when I was very young. Apparently it liked the heat because one winter night I had hundreds of tiny babies in my room! They’re really cool, we see them in Hawaii occasionally.

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That's an interesting picture, it almost looks it's stalking the children. They have an interesting head and can turn it and look back over their shoulder, which is something that most insects can't do. They seem to have an attraction to humans and are very friendly, supposedly they make good pets.

 

[KSQ2]

I've always had a love for the preying mantis (intentional misspell), but have bought many predatory insects before. Always fun to use nature rather than synthetics. Kudos to you for gathering eggs and propagating them.

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Where have you purchased these?

 

[KSQ2]

Where have you purchased these?

Just saw them on eBay, wow! I never would have thought you could buy them like that!

 

[catscratch]

Where have you purchased these?

Check garden supply sites, and maybe even Amazon. Shouldn't cost too much to get a cluster or 2. Maybe search "praying mantis egg price" and see what comes up.

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[KSQ2]

Check garden supply sites, and maybe even Amazon. Shouldn't cost too much to get a cluster or 2. Maybe search "praying mantis egg price" and see what comes up.

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I saw 5 cases for $16 shipped on eBay, is that fair or outrageous? I truly have no idea. I found some a little cheaper, but that seems to be about the going price.

 

[weekender21]

Propagating praying mantis's doesn't go well with a lot of the insecticides that farmers use nowadays. The neonicotinoids are especially potent to a lot of beneficial insects.

That's one of the major reasons I've been avoiding broad application of herbicide, it can't be good for any beneficial insects.

That's an interesting picture, it almost looks it's stalking the children. They have an interesting head and can turn it and look back over their shoulder, which is something that most insects can't do. They seem to have an attraction to humans and are very friendly, supposedly they make good pets.

One of my favorite insects! I have a few videos of the kids touching that one. eventually moved her unharmed.

 

[weekender21]

I saw 5 cases for $16 shipped on eBay, is that fair or outrageous? I truly have no idea. I found some a little cheaper, but that seems to be about the going price.

That seems fair to me. Each egg cluster will have hundreds of babies.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I saw 5 cases for $16 shipped on eBay, is that fair or outrageous? I truly have no idea. I found some a little cheaper, but that seems to be about the going price.

Or, you could go looking for some. An area of weeds between a farm field and a wetland is the best habitat for egg cases, although they can be just about anywhere close to open areas with weeds, but not in the woods. They prefer to lay the egg cases on twigs and stems like dead goldenrod and hemp stems.

 

[weekender21]

We had one on a window screen this year. They really can be anywhere.


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[DocHolladay]

We had one on a window screen this year. They really can be anywhere.


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I find them in my ladder stands all the time.


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[catscratch]

Found one on a lawn chair last summer.

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[KSQ2]

Can they be darker than the pictures above? Thought I might have seen one in a blackberry briar today.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Can they be darker than the pictures above? Thought I might have seen one in a blackberry briar today.

I have never seen any that are darker than the pics I posted. There are some mantis species that the egg cases are shaped differently, smaller, more elongated, or flatter, and the color may vary from grayish tint to brownish, but not really a lot darker that I've ever seen.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Here's a video clip of a praying mantis eating the head off a murder hornet (warning; violent content)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1258249812106973184