MObugs: praying mantid

Showing posts with label praying mantid. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Mantids in Abundance

The warmer weather today prompted me to begin cleaning flower beds of their winter mess. I came across 8 Chinese Mantid egg cases, like the one pictured here. Seems I will have no shortage of large praying mantids this coming summer. I hope to be able to see the young emerge, I will try to watch them closely this spring. I may even bring one inside to see if it will hatch for me.

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Preferred Pest Control

I don't generally promote pest control companies to my blog, but I will certainly make an exception in this case. I've know the Cooperiders since I was a little girl. They run an honest, ethical company. They will help homeowners find alternatives to their pest problems when those alternatives exist. They are as much a lover of insects and spiders as I am and fully recognize their importance in the ecosystem. However, we all know occasionally pests show up in our homes that we cannot, nor should not share space with. Click the picture above, to visit their website and locate their contact info.

The Lives of Beetles: A Natural History of Coleoptera

Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect

My good friend Eric Eaton has once again written a superb book on one of his favorite subjects....insects. This time his chosen subject is wasps. If you want to add a fantastic resource to your library of natural history books, this book will not disappoint. Wasps are far more diverse than the familiar yellowjackets and hornets that harass picnickers and build nests under the eaves of our homes. These amazing, mostly solitary creatures thrive in nearly every habitat on Earth, and their influence on our lives is overwhelmingly beneficial. Wasps are agents of pest control in agriculture and gardens. They are subjects of study in medicine, engineering, and other important fields. Wasps pollinate flowers, engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, and create architectural masterpieces in the form of their nests.

Insectpedia: A Brief Compendium of Insect Lore

This entertaining collection celebrates the long and storied history of entomology, highlights our dependence on insects for food and ecosystem services, and explains the meaning behind various entomological terms. With Eric Eaton as your guide, you will circle the globe in search of African Toktokkies and Australian beer bottle beetles, and witness the peculiar spectacle of cricket fighting in Asia. Profiles of influential figures in entomology provide insights into the curious minds that animate this extraordinarily broad field of scientific inquiry, while the book’s portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your own entomological adventures may lead you.