October 22, 1961 - Praying MantisN
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Praying Mantis
Exclusive Sunday Review Sketch by Dennis Puleston of Brookhaven
Focus on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh`
Each year at this time- t h e
Praying Mantis sets about build-
ing her nest that will house some
2 -300 eggs through the winter. It
is only through this means that
propagation of the species con -
tinues, for the adults do not live
from one year to the next.
Our family experienced the ad-
venture of the mantis last year
when my boy, Peter, b r o u g h t,
among other things, one of these
creatures into the playroom for
observation. Of course, he be-
lieves 'in as little confinement, as
possible for all friends of nature
and so it was. Mrs Praying
Mantis had the sunny corner of
the playroom with all the plants
to herself.
We fed her just about every-
thing that crawled or crept as
all mantes are strictly carnivor-
ous. No insect is too small or
too large for these peaceful -look-
ing but very predaceous crea-
tures. I am told they will even
attack a frog or a lizard, which
gives some indication of their
temperament.
Our -Mrs Mantis disappeared
shortly after Caking over the play-
room and as usual "the search
was on ". This happens whenever
one of the children's m i c e,
snakes, or salamanders g e t s
loose, and so it means, d r o p
everything and get into the act.
The next day my wife, Bar-
bara, found Mrs Praying Mantis
high, on the curtain beside her
newly- formed nest. What h a d
taken place during the night be-
comes a fascinating story.
Mrs Mantis had located a rough
Surface -material to deposit her
eggs. Outside, this - would have
been a stone wall, a twig in the
woods or a dried -up stem of
goldenrod.
With her body in a downward
Position, a froth -like substance,
something like fine soap bubbles
but the color of straw, is pro-
duced from the exterior end of
her abdomen, This is quite soft
and liquidy at, first but as soon
as it is exposed to the Or it
begins hardening.
Although you cannot see, inside`
this winter nursery her eggs are
being laid. And what a wonder-
ful nursery this will be, for the
waterproofing and 'insulating ma-
terials are equal to some of
Johns - Manville's best.
The eventual shape of the nest
like a short, broad cornucopia
With a shingle -like center section
that -will p r o v i d e exit for the
Young in the spring.
It is through these openings
that two or three batches of
young will hatch in intervals and
emerge wiggling and squirming
in their frail boat -like covering.
These will soon be cast off to
complete their transformation to
tiny mantes.
The ravenous appetite of these
insects is hard to satisfy and
even at this early stage many a
small mantis provides a meal for
his brother. Cannibalism c o n-
tinues' throughout the life of the
mantis, even through :Hating,
when the unfortunate male is us-
ually eaten following the honey-
moon.
It is about this time that the
Chalcis fly attaches itself to the
female and patiently waits for
the egg laying to commence.
When completed, this parastic fly
lays her eggs in the nest so that
when the young hatch, the eggs
of the mantis will supply them
with food.
I tell you this so that
should you ever take a nest in
the house and not have results
it could probably be caused by
this parasite.
The Praying Mantis is not a
native of this region and' i t s
introduction can be traced to
nursery stock brought from over-
seas. This sounds logical, f or
nursery stock or shrubs or plants
would make an ideal foundation
for the egg masses.
This introduction started around
Philadelphia in 1895 and spread
throughout most of the east with
the consensus of opinion now be-
ing that this immigrant is def-
initely beneficial.
For you who might come across
an egg cluster in your fall clean-
up that has been broken off,
merely tie or attach it to some
nearby twig and Mother Nature
will p e r f o r m graciously next
spring.
egg clusters are very inflamma-
ble and would be completely
destroyed.
The mantis, naturally, gets its
name from the praying attitude
that is so characteristic, but this
Placid look should not m. islead
You, for it can strike out at its
enemy with devastating blows.
Its anatomy is so constructed,
particularly on its forearms, that
once an insect is grasped, it
Probably one of the most de-
trimental effects to the Praying
Mantis is burn -off,. because the
Proves impossible to break away.
Sharp needle -like teeth along the
f ?rearms dig deep into the soft
flesh of '.tlie enemy and In no
time the Jeast has begun.
These insects are not easily
discds eyed in the green foliage of
summer, nor do they give off
any noise so that we can detect
them. Their camouflage is quite
complete, being either green or
brown, but once one 'is found it
is worthy of observing.
Its triangular head with bulging
eyes seem to follow your every
move and once observed you will
find it one of the most interesting
and fascinating members of our
insect world.
FIELD OBSERVATIONS:
L R Ern0A reports October l
Southampton:
2 Olive- backed Thrushes
3 American Egrets
2. Black- billed Cuckoos
1 Black- throated Blue Warbler.
(October 10)
October 8 Flying Point:
1 Yellow- bellied Sapsucker
1' Florida Gallinule
Judd Bennet reports October I0
East Marion:
1 Dickcissel
PS reports October 17 Cutchogue:
I Red - headed Woodpecker
Please send all field observa-
tions to Paul Stoutenburgh, Box
105, Bay Avenue, Cutchogue.