UncleWill said:

Will! 😂😂😂👍👍👍

I found four oothica ( oothicas?) while cleaning up the Lantana. Chinese I think. I'm going to find places for them on stuff that won't get cut down and will provide better distribution.

Did you know? Oothica are used in traditional Chinese medicine to "stabilize the bladder ".

I've got a few tucked around the garden on the branches I clipped off whatever they were on, too. I have to keep reminding myself to watch for them.

... also used for treatment of spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation, frequent urination or vaginal discharge—conditions that are described as "insecurity of kidney essence" in Chinese medicine. Maybe you should rethink what to do with the one from the lantana, Will

Will, fyi, ootheca; plural oothecae. That Latin vowel thing, y'know. For the less particular, "oothecas" works for me.

"Egg cases" is just so much easier!!! Who's going to know?
Maybe the mantids but they won't say anything!!

Thanks for the info Zoe!
I won't tell if the mantis don't.

Everybody knows mantids are a bunch of "squealers"!!!!

They watch you in the garden and report on you in their "prayers". Watch those naughty words!

Funny stuff! Sometimes I find them looking in the windows!

Undercover surveillance!

Indignant stare! Why are you bothering me?

Wow, that's very good camouflage.

Poor skipper.

Our Praying Mantises haven't come back yet. We got lots of 'em in September, but we've gotta wait till spring to see them. I'll watch the thread though, so that I can be ready when they come.

Nothing is stirring here either. Just going through some old pictures.

UncleWill said:Nothing is stirring here either. Just going through some old pictures.

Same here. Nymphs (pre-nymphs, I guess) are all snug and developing in their cases. When it gets warm they'll appear!

I'm hoping to see what I saw last spring. I just happened to be outside puttering around when an egg case that was hidden under a rock surrounding my perennial garden released the babies. I saw some kind of little green bugs running all over some bare dirt and went over to investigate. Sure enough, tiny little mantis! All complete, looking just like their parents, running all over the place.
Mantis don't spend part of their life in a transitional phase like some insects. They come out fully formed and ready to eat!

...and be eaten! If they don't find food immediately, they eat each other. Nature's way

Lynda, I keep hoping I'll catch one hatching! Missed two last year by a day.

Peek a boo!

As you can see from the background this big gal gave me lots of opportunities to take pics of her.

Wow, excellent camo in that mantis restaurant.