Yesterday I saw that the praying mantis, who has been making her home on and around our front porch, was pregnant. I could tell by her bulging abdomen
She was on the front door, and waggled her antenna at me when I took her picture.
Today I went looking for her again and this time she was on the porch floor and looked like she was struggling. When I checked back on her an hour or so later she was dead.
I did find an egg case in the corner of the doorway. I’m assuming it’s hers, I read a praying mantis dies after laying her eggs.
I’ve also read that a praying mantis’ abdomen swells when they are dying.
Either way, there is a praying mantis egg case in the doorway. It seems like good place for it to winter, protected from the elements. I’ll keep an eye on it and maybe I’ll get lucky and see some baby praying mantis hatch early next summer.
I didn’t want to leave the dead praying mantis on the doorstep, so put her in the garden under the hosta leaves.
Don’t they eat their mates? It all seems so sad but they are Nature’s creatures. I hope the egg sack will survive the winter. In your care it has its best chance anyway.
I know some spiders do that Carolyn, I didn’t read it about the praying mantis, but then I just may not have come across that part of their mating.
Haven’t seen a picture of Bud in awhile. Is he ok?
Bud is doing great!
Haven’t seen a praying mantis since I was a child — one of the few insects I enjoyed then and now. Glad you put her under the hostas. Appropriate resting place, I think. Hope spring brings you more.
I don’t see a lot of them Patricia, but there always seems to be one or two a year on the farm.
Maria, thank you for caring for the mantis and the eggs.
:)