Praying Mantis in the back yard
I was hanging up laundry to dry when I spotted this praying mantis on the table next to me:
I’m not sure where in the world it came from. These critters are not native to Minnesota and won’t survive the winter, but after taking a lot of pictures of it with my son and checking that it wouldn’t do damage (thanks @jojeda), I put it in the front garden where it could feast happily on whatever insects it found there.
30 Aug 2008 Sam
Chris wants to know what happened to the little guy? Or did he just leave a little picket-sign in the garden, “Gone ice-fishing for the winter. Be back next spring.”
I would suspect it came from a neighbor. Some people with large gardens will buy mantis cases in the spring and attach them to shrubs, trees, etc.
Typically a case will hatch 100+. They are great for getting rid of unwanted insects.
Unfortunately they die off in the winter in Minnesota.