MJPD Loc: Flemington, New Jersey

Mantis hatching.

Fred Harwood Loc: Sheffield, Mass.

Neat. Do they eat each other?

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Neat. I love how you also got Cladonia cristatella, also known as the British soldiers lichen, in the 4th shot... I have spotted a few small, newly hatched mantises but these images take the cake...

tinusbum Loc: east texas

this is great! i havent been there at the right time yet

napabob Loc: Napa CA

Nice!! have missed all mine hatching, glad your timing was on.........hope they don't all eat each other

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

That is great stuff! Always wanted to be on hand to see one of these. Well done!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Really nice series.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

Fred.
How do you do. In answer to your question, YES.
If for any reason these are not able to dispurse, there will eventually be one.
Mantids commonly feed on their own, including the female on her mate, while in intercourse.
An extra protein, maybe last meal before egg laying. Nature's insurance plan for survival.
Bill

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

That brings back a hilarious memory. My sisters and I found a random cacoon when we were very young. So we bring it home to show our Mom. We put it in the kitchen window and proceeded to forget about it. One day, we get up to get ready for school.........and there are baby preying mantis's ALL OVER THE WALL!! My Mom was not too happy with us! Thanks for the memory!

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Oh, lucky you. We don't have them wild over here sadly. Nice shots of them, all your other critters will have to watch their step now.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Brenda this is a dumb question in light of what you just told us but, you don't have praying mantis in England? That is a shame. They are very common here and are voracious eaters. I once had a caterpillar that seemed to not be in good health on one of my bushes. I had seen a praying mantis on another bush and held the caterpillar in front of his face. I am not joking when I say I could not get my finger out of the way fast enough. The mantis grabbed it and ate the whole thing right then and there as if it had been starving for weeks. They are very interesting animals. Perhaps we should send some to you.

I don't know how we might label the international shipping form.

Dennis

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Great photos of these little critters.

Dennis

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

There is a European mantis, but not on the isles.
As to your idea of sending some over?
First, read a bit. How did the US get gypsy moths, starlings, English sparrows and many non native pests?
Human intervention. There are international laws to prohibit the mailing non- indigenous plants and animals. For anyone who presents him or herself as an advocate of nature to propose this? Unthinkable.
Rabbits in Australia, mongoose on the Hawaiian isles, cane toads on Guam. The list is endless and growing.
Sending pin specimens is OK.
For more info check USDA guidelines on prohibited intercontinental mailings. There are also laws to prohibit sending most wildlife to another state.
For every successful transplant, benifitial to it's new environment, there are dozens of no-nos.
It is worse with plants.
Let mother nature handle her domain. She did quite well before we climbed down from the trees.
Bill

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Hi Dennis, no we don't have them in the wild here but you can purchase some from dealers and keep them as pets but apparently they don't live very long, I have heard about 8 months or so. There is a European one called Mantis religiosa but they are not native in England. I am tempted to purchase one, some are very beautiful. As for shipping, I think you will have to bring it personally.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

That you can purchase them would mean they have been deemed unlikely to damage the local habitat. European moths are traded live, as are saturniids to the Islands.
On the east coast we have three mantids.
Mantis religiosa, the European.

Below refers to Carolina.

I just looked, I still have four reared female pin specimens. Three missing a front leg from a cricket bite. I learned slowly.
I would like to offer two of these to a fellow UHHer, you first. I need an address and they are on the way, one to a customer.
If Brenda uninterested, the offer is first come first serve. Address private to me for your privacy.


The above out of place, pick up with 'Tenodera, then to raising the Carolina.
Bill
Tenodera aridifolium, the Chinese.
And my favorite, our own Stagmomantis Carolina, the Carolina mantid.
This comes in red, yellow ,and greenish hues on the hind wings and is the most cryptic, almost impossible to see against bark.
The three can be IDed by cocoons. European and Carolina a flat mass, longer than wide,larger in European. The more common(less well hidden) is from the Chinese.
I have raised the Carolina thru numerous generations. They do fine in an 8x8x4 inch plastic display box. One to three to a box to start. When down to one, feed small insects.
If you feed crickets or grasshoppers, crush the head first. They easily remove the mantids leg before getting eaten. In some instances they killed the mantid, so take heed.
Bill