It is a quiet week for Blog News.
So here is what is happening in my backyard.
There have never been this many Praying Mantises in my yard, and I always thought that they were beneficial in my Garden.
However, according to my research, this species is the Invasive Chinese Mantis. They have killed 5 Monarch Butterflies in my yard this year, and those are just the ones I know about. This one was waiting for another Monarch on one of my milkweeds and just happened to catch this unlucky cicada instead.
Here are some articles about this garden inhabitant and info on how to distinguish this species from our own native Carolina Mantises, and identify their egg sacs.
www.brandywine.org/conservancy/blog/preying-invasive-mantis-egg-masses
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/praying-mantid-mantis
https://colinpurrington.com/2019/03/identifying-mantid-egg-cases-pennsylvania/
I’ve seen them too! Hope the Monarch survives. I now have a cricket in my kitchen, parts unknown. Too early, no?
Cool video, thanks for posting it. Had no idea they also eat Monarch butterflies.
I wouldn’t say nothing is going on in Belmar, today at 4PM the clock is being dedicated on 10th Avenue. I understand that is something good happening but for all the complaints and focus on the bad I would think a celebration of something positive would be nice
First they sent the invasive Covid. Then the invasive laternflies. Now the invasive Mantis? How long before they send the invasive humans? Wake up people of America.
Haven’t seen cicada or praying mantis this summer … thanks for the video … have seen many cicada killer wasps … they bore a 1 inch diameter hole under sunlit sidewalks and leave behind a pile of tunnel trailings