Praying Mantis
Fun garden pets, Mantids eat anything & everything they can catch!
Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) make wonderful backyard pets, and constantly entertain while they eat insects all Summer long.
Mantids wait in quiet ambush for hours at a time. When an insect comes wandering by they jump out and attack, usually biting the neck first. They are strictly carnivorous and will eat almost any insect they can overcome.
At rest, Mantids hold their spiny forearms together giving the appearance they are praying. In this posture they are capable of quickly striking prey and holding it in their powerful grip .
Application: Eggs store in the refrigerator until ready for hatching, which takes 2-8 weeks of warm weather. Each egg hatches 100-200 mantids, which continue to grow throughout Summer and reach 3-5″ long by Fall.
Available from mid-December to mid-July, they should be used by Aug. 15 for a proper hatch.