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| A summer camper shows off his find |
It isn't too unusual for us to add a new insect species to
our list for the property, but it isn't every day that we add a whole new order!
Summer campers at NBNC found a praying mantis (Mantis
religiosa) this week, a first for us and still somewhat rare this far north.
They are not a native species, but are certainly an impressive one to see and
an exciting one to find!
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| Wasp Mantidfly |
Only one species of praying mantis is found in Vermont, but
others (including native species) can be found further south (Florida has 11
mantid species!). The similar-looking Wasp Mantidfly, also present in Vermont, may
be confused for a praying mantis but is more closely related to a lacewing than
a praying mantis (their raptorial front legs give them a ‘praying’ posture).
With global climate change causing milder winters, it is
possible that praying mantis will become more common around NBNC, but for now,
this can be considered a pretty unusual find!
found a mantis on my barn door. not green but brown???
ReplyDeleteThey often turn brown to camouflage themselves with their surroundings. The brown mantis will generally live in trees and areas that are brown while the green mantis lives among leaves and grasses.
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