Praying Mantids

[InsaneHawkJJP]

I’ve been seeing a lot of Praying Mantids in one of our restored prairies the last week or so. This is the first time I’ve ever seen them in our prairies, they could have been there and I just didn’t notice them. I counted 13 in just one little area yesterday. I was just wondering if anyone else has noticed an uptick in Mantids?

Mine are the Chinese Mantids, not native but still really cool looking and big, 3 to 4 inches long. They are amazing creatures and it’s fun watching them eat, I got a nice video of one eating a grasshopper. CSB

 

[QChawks]

every Aug/Sept I find a few of them around the house

creepy little boogers

 

[Rifler]

Have see a few recently,.. walking sticks also.

 

[alaskanseminole]

You know it's Mantis, right?

 

[pink shizzle]

You know it's Mantis, right?

I'm surprised it took to the 4th post for someone to say something.

EDIT to say I'm dumb and will leave my shame for all to see.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

You know it's Mantis, right?

Lol! No it isn’t. I wondered who would be the first fool to say that.

 

[Funky Bunch]

You know it's Mantis, right?

Praying Mantids

The praying mantids are a group of insects with very characteristic front legs designed to capture and hold prey. The common name comes from the way the legs are held upright when hunting, but they don’t really have any religious affiliations. To learn more about these fascinating predators...

hort.extension.wisc.edu

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Have see a few recently,.. walking sticks also.

Cool, I’ve never seen a walking stick.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Praying Mantids

The praying mantids are a group of insects with very characteristic front legs designed to capture and hold prey. The common name comes from the way the legs are held upright when hunting, but they don’t really have any religious affiliations. To learn more about these fascinating predators...

hort.extension.wisc.edu

Thank you

 

[pink shizzle]

Praying Mantids

The praying mantids are a group of insects with very characteristic front legs designed to capture and hold prey. The common name comes from the way the legs are held upright when hunting, but they don’t really have any religious affiliations. To learn more about these fascinating predators...

hort.extension.wisc.edu

Well, this is not the first time I've looked like a dumbass. And it won't be the last.

 

[Rifler]

Cool, I’ve never seen a walking stick.

Extremely strange insect,.. easy to overlook.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Extremely strange insect,.. easy to overlook.

I was just reading about them this morning and the article said they are rarely seen and hard to find so not much is known about them.

 

[QChawks]

 

[Rifler]

On the mantis vs mantid topic,.. I believe the term "mantis" refers to very specific variety of this insect, while "mantid" refers to the entire genome...

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

On the mantis vs mantid topic,.. I believe the term "mantis" refers to very specific variety of this insect, while "mantid" refers to the entire genome...

You are correct sir. Both are generally accepted also, I just wanted to see if anyone would wrongfully call me out on it. Didn’t take long.

 

[jellyfish10]

Hey OP…on a similar wavelength, we have been at our current shop for 23ish years. For about the last month, we have had so many sweat bees it’s almost unbearable at times. If you leave your windows open or operate equipment with the windows down said vehicle will be full of them. There haven’t been any major changes recently. Any reason for this? It’s not a bad thing I just find it interesting.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I'm surprised it took to the 4th post for someone to say something.

EDIT to say I'm dumb and will leave my shame for all to see.

Meh, you're not dumb. Both are right...it depends on the use.

In the context of the OP, both "mantis" and "mantid" can be used, but "mantid" is more specific and formal. Given the scientific tone and his mention of various species, "mantids" would be the more precise term. It just looks weird as $hit. LOL

I'm sticking with Mantis 'cause I'm edumacated in Florida, so it's more commensurate with my redneck heritage.

 

[torbee]

On the mantis vs mantid topic,.. I believe the term "mantis" refers to very specific variety of this insect, while "mantid" refers to the entire genome...

I learned something today. Thank you!

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Hey OP…on a similar wavelength, we have been at our current shop for 23ish years. For about the last month, we have had so many sweat bees it’s almost unbearable at times. If you leave your windows open or operate equipment with the windows down said vehicle will be full of them. There haven’t been any major changes recently. Any reason for this? It’s not a bad thing I just find it interesting.

For starters, are you sure they are sweat bees? I know lots of people confuse hover flies for sweat bees.

This is a hover fly

This is a sweat bee

It could also be any other number of small bees or wasps or hornets.
I know western yellow jackets are a real pest this time of year, but those are much larger than sweat bees.

 

[seminole97]

Somebody say Mantis?

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Meh, you're not dumb. Both are right...it depends on the use.

In the context of the OP, both "mantis" and "mantid" can be used, but "mantid" is more specific and formal. Given the scientific tone and his mention of various species, "mantids" would be the more precise term. It just looks weird as $hit. LOL

I'm sticking with Mantis 'cause I'm edumacated in Florida, so it's more commensurate with my redneck heritage.

I grew up calling them that also.

 

[jellyfish10]

For starters, are you sure they are sweat bees? I know lots of people confuse hover flies for sweat bees.

This is a hover fly

This is a sweat bee

It could also be any other number of small bees or wasps or hornets.
I know western yellow jackets are a real pest this time of year, but those are much larger than sweat bees.

Interesting. Thank you for the correction. They look like the hover flies. They don’t sting but are out in droves. Only in the last couple of days have they dissipated somewhat.

 

[pink shizzle]

Meh, you're not dumb.