the insect whisperer

I started the day off on Thursday by giving a pep talk. Not unlike any other average morning, I stated my hopes and expectations for the day, only perhaps I had a twinge of desperation in my voice that particular morning. Looking at the calendar, I knew that time was running out and if my wishes weren't fulfilled in the next few days, an entire exciting project was going to fall flat. My audience responded with nary a sound or a movement. I had no indication that my message was received, but something in my heart told me that maybe... just maybe... it would work.

If you were thinking I was prepping Red, Pudge and JAM for the day, try again. Pulling up a chair next to the side table that held our ongoing Spring Insect Project, I pleaded to the praying mantis egg case to do me a solid and finally break open sometime soon. 

Well, call me the insect whisperer, because a few hours later, I was shocked when I walked by the table to see about a bajillion teeny tiny praying mantis nymphs perched all over the inside of the "pagoda" container. Thanks to the trusty folks at Insect Lore, this year's SIP choice was praying mantises, and for twenty bucks, we got the egg case and the container to hold in while we waited weeks and weeks for the little guys to come on out. The product description says to expect 75 to 200 nymphs to emerge, and we must have gotten a case from a very, very fertile mama, because our number was definitely closer to 200 than 75!

If you just happen to be my pal on Facebook, you've already heard me gushing over my new favorite bug, and you're either in the "wow, that's so cool!" camp or you've been muttering to yourself, "that chick is hands-down crazy!" I've opted to regale you with the slew of photos in slideshow format, which is a heckuva lot easier than uploading the tons that I took.

Seriously, I spent at least an hour outside letting these amazing creatures crawl on my arm, and when I would put one up closer to my face to look at, I swear I felt like I was being observed by it just as much! I was simply fascinated, and I'm happy to report that we're still seeing many of them all over the flower gardens and tomato plant pot in the front of our house. My fascination was shared by all three kids, and I couldn't be prouder. Red and Pudge did some drawing of the tiny nymphs, and Red came out with the funniest thing I think I've ever heard her say while we were releasing some of the praying mantises. I was placing them on various flowers and plants, and I noticed a medium sized ant crawling around one plant. Trying to place the praying mantis near the ant and hopeful that we'd get to see him grab his very first meal, Red chimes in with a very solemnly stated, "Say goodbye to the world ant, because he's going to eat you." A few seconds later, we watched as the praying mantis appeared to notice the ant but turned around and crawled down to a different leaf away from him. Red's response? "Or not." She paused, then adopted the same solemn tone she used before and said, "Okay, say hello to the world, because you're not going anywhere."
 
My hopes are huge that enough of the mantises will make it to the adult stage of their lives and decide to make our gardens their permanent home all summer, and especially that they'll have gigantic appetites that include mosquitoes! Hubby and I are already thinking that this SIP will be an annual event, if only for the mosquito-eating abilities if nothing else.

If you're looking for ideas for a Spring Insect Project with your own kids, I cannot recommend Insect Lore highly enough. I've purchased items for use in my preschool classrooms, as well as for home, and the quality is always top-notch. JAM, Red and Pudge have watched caterpillars build chrysalises and emerge as painted lady butterflies, ladybug larvae transform through their pupa stages into adulthood, tiny earthworms pop out of cocoons and grow to full size in a dirt filled nursery, and now praying mantis nymphs hatch from an egg case! Amazing opportunities to watch buggy life cycles, and we've been happy to host the adults in our gardens afterwards.

Buggily yours,