Praying Mantis

[HITMAN]

I saw this clinging to the outside of one of my basement windows today. I knew they lived around here, but in my almost 48 years I've never personally seen one. This one was about 5" in length. I've always thought these predatory insects were very cool. Anybody else ever see one of these things around here?

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7443/img0001dl1.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7879/img0002mx8.jpg
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/6260/img0003vl0.jpg

[Russ Jerome]

Cool! I used to see them out east all the time, never seen
one in WI and I've been here like 15yrs now. Nice find.

[Berettaspeed]

I kept one that i found 2 yrs ago. it was fun catching locusts and grasshoppers or whatever they were and watching the mantis eat them. haha but i forgot to get some food for it and it died. LOL opps

[Korndogg]

Yeah I see them every now and then. cool as hell.

[HITMAN]

I kept one that i found 2 yrs ago. it was fun catching locusts and grasshoppers or whatever they were and watching the mantis eat them. haha but i forgot to get some food for it and it died. LOL opps


I thought about catching this thing and putting it in a little 13 gallon aquarium I've had sitting around for years, but I wasn't sure how it would do in captivity, especially this close to winter. I have no idea what their lifespan is in terrarium environment. Anybody know?

[lordairgtar]

http://www.ehow.com/how_2305655_keep-praying-mantis.html
Here ya go

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

I saw one about 2 months ago 40 foot up on a roof where I work in the late am, later in the early PM I was looking at a door closer on the same building and I looked up on the door frame outside and there it was looking at me.
Big ole eyes, this one was about 5" also, cool creatures.

[WickedSix]

Picking apples and pumpkins the other weekend at the Elegant Farmer some kids had found one stalking around. I let it crawl up into my hand and on my arm. It was probably 4-5" and cool as sh!t we used to have smaller ones alot in Cal but that was the first full grown one I'd seen here.

[Silver03SRT]

where do you live. i might know how they got there

[Al]

I saw one on the White Castle drive-thru on highway 50 this summer. I even snapped a photo of it. I'll post it.

[Silver86]

you should come by my work... i see them all summer long...