Photo: Wikipedia
Back in March, I wrote a post about starting an experiment using praying mantises to control the abundant tick population on our property. I heard about using praying mantises from a friend of mine who has a friend that tried this approach with great success. Since then, I told another friend of mine who is setting up the experiment on her property – and she, too, has a friend that tried it with a positive outcome.
Per the instructions accompanying the Praying Mantis case, I kept the case (housed in two plastic cups fused together rim-to-rim) in the refrigerator until April 15th. On that date, I carefully brought the container out of the refrigerator and placed it in a safe place on the kitchen counter where I have been keeping an eye on it. And, the countdown began… within 4-6 weeks, the instructions read, the eggs will hatch and I should see hundreds of baby Praying Mantises emerging from the case. So here we are. It’s been four weeks and things are status quo.
I have high hopes for this experiment. I’ve already had two ticks on me this spring. And, I definitely don’t want to get Lyme disease again. Both my husband and I checked the tick ID card we have posted on the refrigerator. The first was a dog tick. Not the deer tick that carries Lyme disease. But, the second was a deer tick. I found it crawling on my sweatshirt after I came in from gardening. No doubt, the ticks are alive and well.
I’ve got my figures crossed that something hatches from this lifeless looking case! The salesperson I quizzed at the garden center did say, If they hatch… Updates to follow.