Here's lookin' at you kid!

OK, so here's my question. I have seen a few young mantis over the summer, but in 26 years living here and gardening I have never seen or found a case. Where do the little ones come from then? and how do I get adults to lay egg cases in my yard?

Fran

Thanks, Mary, I'll keep looking in my yard - if I can wade my way through the mess. lol.

Someone was just posting about them eating butterflies, though. :-(

Fran, in the past they have left egg cases in my evergreens, but I didn't know they were there. We removed 5 large Yews last year, and that's when I found an egg case. I put it in the safe part of an Arborvitae, and checked it from time to time. Eventually I did see a number of babies that had hatched.

Before I found the first egg case, I had adults in my garden every year. They too may have used the Yews, or perhaps even the Arborvitae, and it really surprises me to find them using the Rudbackia stem this year.

I will have to be extremely careful when I clean up the gardens this fall, who knows where they may have left eggs. I had adults all over the place, including the cucumber vines.

Mary

At least someone is getting lucky.....