As I sat here, tonight, getting a few things done on my list, I heard a scratching noise. I asked my husband if it was raining - almost sounded like rain or light hail on the window. No, no rain. Could it be? I thought. I walked over to the little paper bag that has been sitting on our windowsill for over a month. I held it up to the light - and yes!
The praying mantis egg sac has erupted! Hundreds of tiny praying mantises crawling out of the sac. We were told they normally hatch in the morning and so the boys have been checking and re-checking daily - 11 PM is a surprise! I placed the bag into a half gallon canning jar, opening the paper as I did so that the insects could spread out a little. I covered the top with a few layers of silk and screwed on the ring. I hope that keeps them in until morning. The boys will be SO excited!
We were told that the mantis babes will eat anything and everything, including each other, so to get them outside quick. We must wait until morning for the boys to see them, and so that we can see to release them throughout our garden so that they can chomp on the bad bugs that may ruin our cabbage, cucumbers or squash. I hope they all make it until morning so that we can free them into their new home (and I hope they cannot chew through a few layers of a silk and wander the house as I sleep!). Should be a very exciting morning!
Update:: A made it downstairs before I did this morning, and I heard him SHRIEKING as he saw that the mantises were out in the jar. Very excited boys! We took them outside and put the insects on plants throughout the garden. G held a few. I picked some up and put them on leaves where I knew there had been insects.
We were told that of a few hundred that hatch, fewer than a hand full will reach maturity. Rough mantis world, out there. Hopefully enough of them will be happy eating bugs in our yard (they don't eat ladybugs, another beneficial insect).
Go, mantises, go!
How exciting! Although, I think if I heard some scratching sounds at 11pm, I'd be a little freaked out! Good luck with them.
ReplyDeleteI once had a bouquet of pussy willows sitting on a shelf. Apparently the "bump" was actually a gall. One day I looked up and thousands of little praying mantises were marching down my bookshelf and across the kitchen floor. It was quite shocking.
ReplyDeletewow that is so exciting. They are so cute..xx
ReplyDeleteVery exciting! The boys will love it. Once, when I was younger my younger brother sneaked into my room and placed a large praying mantis on my pillow while I was sleeping- I had quite the fright when I woke up! We still laugh about it. They are such amazing insects.
ReplyDeleteWhere did the eggs originate from?
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! I've never seen that actually work- ordering insect eggs. I hope they stay in your area! That was always our problem with getting lady bugs. They'd fly away!
THAT is totally cool! I bred crickets one year that I was teaching First Grade and they multiplied to the point it was ridiculous, but to see the miniature little bodies exactly like the adults' bodies was COOL! Praying mantises, though! You can't beat that!
ReplyDeleteWow! Did you find the sac outside somewhere?
ReplyDeletehow cool!
ReplyDeleteThat will surely make for some fun garden play today!
ReplyDeleteWe bought the sac at a local garden store...Paradigm Gardens (http://www.paradigmgardens.com/) on the east side. We kept it inside for over a month in a warm window, and voila! They hatched! Paradigm has a LOT of good stuff there...we visit often. :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun for your boys to get to see this. I didn't know that the mantis was a beneficial insect. That's good to know...some little insects have been dining in my garden lately.
ReplyDeleteOw wow. That is great. We have an aphid problem on the dogwoods AGAIN. I should buy some ladybugs to help out.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that is so awesome. I love the looks of your boys faces. So excited. They are really neat bugs, how cool for you guys.
ReplyDeleteThat's exciting!!
ReplyDeleteGood to know they will be helpful in the garden but sorry to hear so few survive.
Yippeee! It is so amazing how many of those little guys fit in that egg sac isn't it?? We are still waiting for our bottled sac to hatch. We had 5 sacs hatch already in the garden, we are waiting now for the one in the bottle....
ReplyDeleteLisa :)
i keep trying to convince my daughter that we should get a mantis egg sack but she is terrified! They look so cool
ReplyDelete