Subject: [Tweeters] Praying Mantis info
Date: Sep 27 21:32:35 2006
From: Stewart Wechsler - ecostewart at quidnunc.net


I recently inquired on another list about mantids (a.k.a. mantises) and
according to the information I got there is only one native mantid in
Washington. It is called a Ground Mantid - Litaneutria minor. It is a
species of Sagebrush habitat. It is small - about an inch long and the
female is flightless. This B.C. webiste has information on it:
http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/end_species/species/grmanti.html
and these photos were taken by someone on my butterfly list:
http://www.bentler.us/eastern-washington/insects/agile-ground-mantid.jpg
http://www.bentler.us/eastern-washington/insects/agile-ground-mantid2.jpg

The others are introductions and I would presume they are problematic for
some native organisms. I understand they have been spreading through the
state and becoming more common lately. It will probably be hard to know
what native organism declines would be related to the introduction of
different mantid species. The mantids I have seen in western Washington
have indeed been smaller (maybe about 3") than the ones I saw in the New
York area (possibly over 4") decades ago. This short paper gives a bit of
an overview of Mantids in Washington State:
http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/plantclinic/resources/pdf/pls9mantidsinwashingto
n.pdf

Two summers ago it was interesting to see numerous mantids at a truck stop
in eastern Oregon (Umatilla) that were active at night eating the insects
that came to the lights by the fuel pumps. As far as I know these mantids
are otherwise diurnal.
Stewart Wechsler
Ecological Consulting
West Seattle
206 932-7225


-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants
and how to enhance habitat for the maximum diversity
of plants and animals
-Educational programs, nature walks and field trips
-Botanical Surveys

mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net




-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Vernon [mailto:ma_vern at yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 1:29 PM
To: Tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Praying Mantis at the Kent Ponds


Twice, in the last few years, I have found Praying Mantis at the Kent
Ponds. Can anybody tell me their status there? I assumed they were
introduced for some kind of pest control....but that is a guess. Seems to me
that Praying Mantis can be purchased for the garden, like ladybugs can be.

Mark Vernon
Renton, WA
mailto ma_vern at yahoo.com


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