Mantis Watch 10.16.2011

Mantis Watch 10.16.2011 After almost three years in a new neighborhood I had not sighted a single mantis. Then 2.9 miles away from our home, I collected a manila-colored female mantis preying in the sunshine by field bindweed flowers on a low hedge in the endodontist’s parking lot.She spent the next six cool rainy days inside our kitchen window, sipping nectar from joya blossoms and snacking on ground beef tartare. I relocated her to the sunshine on the blooming patio hibiscus and within a day three males were within an 8” radius.Soon all three were riding on her back, one mating; the foursome continued more than a day. Two days later she laid an ootheca, then preyed in the sunshine, and was gone a day later.Her wings were so
very short like a bolero vest, perhaps brachypterous is the term I’m learning from this Mantis Study Group, that I doubt she should have flown away, the barren roof around the patio was not enticing; and her manila color vivid against the bright green hibiscus leaves raised the hunch she fell victim to a bird 12 days after being collected.(10.04-16.2011)

Mantis Watch 10.09.2011 Mantises engaged my focus in our garden in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were numerous in xeric multi-headed sunflowers, lilies, yarrow, bachelor buttons, trumpet vine, and virginia creeper along one side of the house, and I was able to closely observe their behavior along the continuum development. It was a ~100 year-old walkable neighborhood and as I alerted passersby to see the mantises, I began to reflect upon mantises' value for neighborhood lifelong science learning. Interest was high, from toddlers to elders. Soon I was writing Mantis Watch articles for the Salt Lake Master Gardener Association and taking mantises to Community Council meetings, branch library workshops, and even the Mayor's meeting with Community Council Chairs. In the Salt Lake Master Gardeners Association I was laughingly teased that I was more interested in the mantises than in the plants. Chuckling companionably with the teasing, I realized the mantises gave me a special perspective on the garden, helped me appreciate microclimates, pollinators, the daily and seasonal cycles of sunshine. I advocate all consider how the mantis draws out the naturalist in a child: Suppose 9:30 of a summer morning you and a child spy the mantis preying atop a child-eye-level yarrow blossom, coach the child's non-intrusive observation skills, and when interest wanes move on to another activity leaving the mantis in peace; later suggest "Tomorrow morning let's see if the mantis is there again," and if the following day has similar weather chances are great you will again find the mantis preying on the yarrow in the sunshine where flying pollinators abound.