Originally Posted by CalCare:
Praying Mantis egg sacks. I had to keep the two egg sacks inside the cup they were mailed in because I had one butterfly that was still using the habitat. I waited for the egg sacks to hatch, inside the cup as I waited for the injured butterfly, Betty, to be done with the habitat. I guess I thought when the babies emerged, I would put them in some other habitat if my butterfly was still alive. The painted lady butterfly that was supposed to be released weeks before needed long term care, couldn't fly, and lived an absurdly long life. She became my pet. I hand fed Betty for over a month.. I watched and waited for the mantids throughout the day, every day.. until I became busy some days. Then I checked it one day and I saw they were coming out of the sack. I thought, 'omg who knows how long they've been out!?' I knew I had to release them immediately or else they would begin to eat each other if they hadn't been already. So I released them in my rose bushes; which I thought they would probably enjoy as they could find bugs there. The release was on a Friday evening. I went to look at them on Saturday and Sunday and they were dispersing more and more. There were none left by Monday. The childcare kids never saw the egg sack, never saw the mantids, nothing. My own kids did. So there was some purpose at least! Eventually, Betty died. Her favorite food was honeydew.
do not tell me about praying mantis. I still have one. His name is Potap. I will not tell you how much I already spent on Amazon for his food and how my assistants and I hunting flys if Amazon delivers his food later then expected. and yes, kids show zero interest.
20180801_170115.jpg
Attached: