Early yesterday morning I discovered a visitor in my desert rose. I thought she was a dead leaf and almost plucked her off! I peeked at the praying mantis several times during the morning and afternoon.
I was wondering if she wouldn't be scared off by the plastic spider or the snake but I guess not.
Then I wondered if she planned to eat either the plastic spider or snake. I was wrong again.
She was there to lay eggs!
And leave.So, here I am with praying mantis eggs in my favorite plant. I showed them off to my daycare children who thought it pretty cool. I'd like for them to see the eggs hatch too so I went web surfing.
Looks like the eggs usually winter on the stem or leaf they are laid. That would be just fine if they were laying on a stem of the willow tree but they are on my desert rose that I finally was able to get to bloom last season. I do not want to leave my plant out all winter and risk it freezing but I do not want to kill this egg sack either. I can't leave the plant out and just bring it in on evenings with a risk of frost since warming weather triggers the hatching of the eggs. I'll risk having a house full of tiny little praying mantises. I guess the desert rose will winter under the protection of the deck with a pillowcase over it!
Looks like the eggs usually winter on the stem or leaf they are laid. That would be just fine if they were laying on a stem of the willow tree but they are on my desert rose that I finally was able to get to bloom last season. I do not want to leave my plant out all winter and risk it freezing but I do not want to kill this egg sack either. I can't leave the plant out and just bring it in on evenings with a risk of frost since warming weather triggers the hatching of the eggs. I'll risk having a house full of tiny little praying mantises. I guess the desert rose will winter under the protection of the deck with a pillowcase over it!
My desert rose blooming last summer.
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