ET Of The Insect World

The other day, as I was photographing a golden dragonfly, I
noticed this Praying Mantis on the Crape Ginger plant. It's
the first time I've seen a mantid here in my garden.









Taking a closer look, I found that it was heavy with egg.
Since most of my potted plants have been shifted to the
terrace, and I'm trying to attract more garden wildlife
there, I took it (there) and placed it on the Mussaenda
plant.

The word 'mantis' comes from the Greek for 'soothsayer' or
'prophet'. They are named because of their posture, front legs
together as if they're praying.








There are 2000 species of mantises.They are carnivorous and their
diet includes moths, grasshoppers, crickets and aphids. They blend
in very well with their surroundings and this is important as
birds prey on them.


















This is how it stayed for the rest of the day. On the bean
trellis. I'd seen a caterpillar there there so I thought it
wouldn't need to hunt for food!






But the next morning, it'd climbed higher and had laid eggs
or was still laying eggs. It was still attatched to the mass.
The eggs were encased in a frothy liquid. It was so fresh that
it still looked like a soft mass and it was whitish green. I
found out online that the frothy liquid is called an "ootheca".
The ootheca hardens and turns into a protective shell. The colour
changes to brown.

I'll have to wait and see when the babies emerge. They'll be the
size of ants and will start eating each other if they're not
released in an open area. The female Praying Mantis is known to
eat its mate during or after mating.The babies will moult several
times before they become adults. It'll be worth the wait!!