Praying Mantis ~ 2009

[Andy P]

This thread is for everyone with new Mantis pics. Add 'em as you get 'em.
June 2, 2009. Here they come ! ! !

(Click on images to see larger.)

[Andy P]

Cool, TW. It looks like we are having a good season.
Mine are scattering as well.

[DebinSC]

Really nice pic, TW.

[thymewarp13]

Thanks, Deb. I hope I still get some more chances to get more pics. Earlier in the week I was seeing 5 or more a day, but it's been more than two days now since I've seen any. There are just so many birds in my garden right now with plenty of hungry fledglings out and about.

I like your upside-down little guy and I know what you mean about trying to focus on them.

[DebinSC]

I found another one! That makes 2 so far. Not the best pic, focus on this was a bear, but there he is - upside down on the Liriope. :)

[DebinSC]

Here he is again toda, but he's hopped down onto the ginger. Is it me or are his eyes pink like the flowers?

[thymewarp13]

I'm hoping that my mantises are just elusive rather than MIA. The few that I do see are less than half the size that mantises in my garden normally are by mid-July. All but one are green. The one that is tan has been hanging out in some lilies near my arbor, but today it made an appearance on top of one of the rhubarb leaves. I felt he was much too vulnerable in that location so I snapped away trying to get as many shots as possible. He's significantly larger than the green ones. I edited this pic a bit to try to get more definition and clarity in the head area.

[DebinSC]

Good one TW! I don't think we have any but the green ones here - at least I've never seen a brown one.

[thymewarp13]

Yours seem to be a lot more playful and curious than mine are. When mine see me coming they run and hide. They're probably thinking, "Here comes that lady with the camera again. She always interferes with my preying."

[Andy P]

Mantis sightings have been limited lately, found this one as the rain started yesterday going for shelter.

[thymewarp13]

My regular mantis pal has moved a few feet from the remains of the yarrow to the strawflowers. I have yet to see him/her catch any prey. Rarely is this mantis camouflaged to the point that I can't find it.

What made me very happy was the appearance of a second mantis in a clump of lavender about 6 feet away from mantis #1 two or three days ago. I was attracted to movement in the lavender which just happened to be the mantis making an unsuccessful lunge for some prey. In this pic there is still evidence of some mini- water drops on its back.

[thymewarp13]

As of today three backyard praying mantises have officially made it through to September. I had one new sighting this morning of a newcomer hanging out in the honeysuckle while another was 'preying' on a tomato plant, and my old buddy remained on the strawflower plant he calls home.

I also found the remains of a mainly intact mantis molt in the santolina near the clump of lavender. I'm guessing this molt was fairly recent.

[Andy P]

I have not seen 'remains' this season. Cool shot.