When I say gardeners are weird, it's a compliment. Weird is good in my book. The above photo is weird to many, but completely makes sense to me. It's my kitchen counter. From left to right: Flour, sugar, brown sugar, praying mantis pod. One is not like the other, right? I hope in the coming weeks the pod hatches plenty of praying mantis babies. When it does, I shall name each one, with names all beginning with P. Petunia, Penny, Peter, Paul. Oh oh. What other P names are there? I shall report back on the progress of the Ps.
4 comments:
Hey LeeAnn. Just make sure you name them QUICK! Soon after a mantid egg case hatches, the young will start eating each other. You can cut down on the cannibalistic feast, by putting crumpled paper into the jar. This will give the baby mantids half a chance - by giving them crevices in which to hide. Or, you can catch and separate each one into their own jar - and feed them as you like.
We had a mantid in our lab that we named 'Nibbler'. The babies were all called the 'niblets' . . . which is basically what they became to each other, in short order.
Wow! talk about observing the theory of survival of the fittest!
no foil on top -- you don't want to set 'em on fire ;) Also be sure not to leave in full sun -- they'll get cooked.
(ours are on china cabinet in a ball jar, w/ holes punched in lid. my 2nd graders set 200 of them free when we hatched some a couple years ago -- big fun.)
Wow! I never know what great new tidbit of interesting and useful information I'll find when i read your blog. Love all your posts. This was was especially interesting with the comments.
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