Comments for
Praying Mantis (Chinese Mantis)

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Response to Moni
by: Deb

Thanks for the info about the Chinese Mantis. I have a vege garden close to the daisies where I spotted this large predator and will be looking for more help on keeping the insects out this year...

I have some
by: Linb

I love my praying mantis's. I have several every year. They are small right now, but they hide in my potted plants. I look for them everyday. They don't bother me and they eat lots of mean critters (bugs). I would like more, but maybe I don't have enough bugs to feed more?

PRAYING MANTIS
by: Moni

Deb
Your praying mantis is a Chinese mantis.
The egg cases are the ones that can be ordered as beneficial insect helpers in the garden. They eat pest and beneficial insects. So, it is great when they are in the veggie garden but not so nice to have on your butterfly bush :-). If they end up on a flower that the bees and butterflies like just move them to the cabbage or squash plants.

The Chinese mantis are large(4-6 inches long) and when mature are tan with green borders on the wings. Their size and the fact that the wings (on the adults) cover the abdomen help ID them as Chinese mantis not the smaller Carolina mantis.
Interesting fact noted on bugguide.net is that "Compound eyes chocolate-brown at sunset, pale tan soon after sunrise and during the day. "

Praying mantis
by: Jane Dalton


Pretty cool, Deb. Can't wait to see what you come up with next.

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